


Pruning Roses

by silvercheshire



Category: K (Anime)
Genre: Brotp, Family Angst, Gen, However the story focuses on Sukuna and Yukari, Master & Apprentice, There are other minor appearances of various K characters, headcanon hell
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-19
Updated: 2016-11-04
Packaged: 2018-08-16 02:31:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 20,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8083189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silvercheshire/pseuds/silvercheshire
Summary: It's been almost a year since JUNGLE fell, and Sukuna's still learning to deal with it. Some life lessons are harder than others, but with the shattering of old bonds, there is the strengthening of new ones.
[A series of sequential short stories regarding the remaining members of JUNGLE after ROK]





	1. A Rose for Memories

_”He’s been here a while…”_

_“He’s just a kid.”_

_“Wonder what his parents think of him staying out so late?”_

_”Hey kid… what are you doing here? Don’t sleep he-“_

A hand touched his shoulder, and green eyes flashed open. “I wasn’t sleeping, jackass-“ Sukuna wretched. His torso jerked up and sideways. A hand raised ready to seize anything he could _rip_ apart. 

“I know, you were just resting your eyes.” 

Sukuna froze, his hand mere inches from a ruffled blue shirt. Yukari was staring at him, a curious look on his features. Sukuna glared, his heart slamming in his ringing ears, a cold sweat dripping down his face.

“Another nightmare?” Yukari smiled softly. 

Sukuna’s eyes darted away, twisting him back to the desk in front of him. Piles of disheveled books and papers stared at him. A paper in front of him had the workings of scribed arithmetic left unfinished, and he vaguely remembered he’d been studying up to a point. 

“I wasn’t sleeping,” Sukuna insisted. 

“Sure.”

Sukuna bit his lip. “What are you doing back so early anyways?” he asked not glancing back. Yukari had moved already. Sukuna could hear the ruffling of bags and items being set down. 

“There was a slight change in plans,” Yukari mused lightly. Sukuna rolled his eyes. Of course there was. Yukari sticking to a single plan was like Iwa-…. Sukuna stopped himself. A grimace pulled at his features. Even then he couldn’t seem to let the dead just stay… dead. 

How long had it been again? 

“Aren’t you going to ask what changed?” Yukari was cheery, too cheery. 

“No,” the word came hard and dry. Yukarian mischief wasn’t a game he wanted to play right then.

A laugh escaped from behind him. Sukuna frowned. If Yukari had found _another_ boy-toy he was planning to bring home that night, Sukuna was going to kill something. Probably Yukari. _One quick stab to the chest or slash to the lower abdomen or…_

Sukuna’s thoughts broke suddenly as a box was dropped in front of him. For a moment he froze, rigidly staring at it. “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Yukari laughed. Sukuna blanched. 

“What is this?” Green eyes raised and leered. 

“Open it.” Yukari grinned. What an ugly smile. Glancing forward again, Sukuna slowly reached forward. 

Pulling the box apart was strangely easy. The lid seemed to be the only thing holding it together. However, as the cardboard fell away, Sukuna’s eyes clouded. 

A cake laced with green icing and a big ‘happy birthday’ stared up at him. “Not every day my favorite pupil turns fourteen,” Yukari’s voice chimed. 

Had it been a year _already?_ Sukuna hunched forward slightly. A year ago, they’d still been making plans to steal the slate. A year ago, they’d still been chasing a dream. A year ago all four of them had been together.

A year ago, he’d never thought for a second he’d be spending his birthday with just… Yukari. 

“Sukuna? Sukuna?” Yukari was shaking his shoulder when Sukua came back to himself. Blinking thrice, reached to grab at Yukari’s hand. Rather than pry it from his shoulder, however, Sukuna cupped it briefly. 

“I’m fine…” The lie tasted bitter. The pressure of Yukari’s hand increased on his shoulder before another hand was set on his other shoulder. No words were spoken for a while after. 

\----

They celebrated, ate cake, and watched a movie. Yukari’d gotten him the newest pokemon game early, preordered with all the trimmings. Sukuna would be up that night button mashing his fire starter into a hellion. For all it was, though, he felt cold, hollowed out, tired. 

Early the next morning, Sukuna sat at the small kitchen table nursing a pot of coffee. Yukari’d yelled at him numerous times that it’d stunt his growth, but it was about the only thing he got up in the morning for these days anyways. He’d sleep till noon otherwise. 

_“Hey kid, don’t sleep here…”_

Sukuna jerked upright. Green eyes flashed around but saw no one. The lights were still off, and Yukari’s door was still closed. Sukuna grit his teeth and swirled the coffee pot. Maybe he shouldn’t have been drinking straight out of it. 

_Iwa’d be mad if he saw me…_ Sukuna frowned setting the coffee pot down on the table before standing up. Padding over to the fridge, he wrenched it open. There were no rows and rows of beer cans waiting for him or sake or ale. Yukari thought they were fattening. Sukuna closed the door and opened the freezer. There was nothing in there either. 

Walking to the couch, Sukuna laid down folding his hands behind his head. Green eyes closed. 

\---

_“Sukuna… are you listening?”_

Sukuna jolted upright, his gaze crashing into the corner where Nagare’s chair should have been. _Empty…_. Green eyes swerved. _Gone…_ It was a feeling, not a sight. Sukuna’s eyes stung, and he blinked away a couple tears. 

_Get over it already, damn it._

\---

He couldn’t stay in the apartment, so he left. The streets were quiet. Only the early morning patrons made their walks about. Sukuna stopped in a bakery, ate a bit, and left. His stomach hurt for some reason. 

A couple of flashing signs full of happy looking families and feel good messages passed by. He wanted to puke. Maybe he shouldn’t have drunk so much coffee either. 

The train station had gross signs too. “Remember to hug your child.” And “Winter is the season for giving.” 

Giving what, giving hell? 

At least his PDA had some cash on it. 

He sat on the train for a long time. People got on, people got off. At least he always had a seat.

\--- 

_”Hey kid, don’t sleep here-“_

Sukuna jolted. A woman flinched, retracting her hand from his shoulder. “Sorry, you were just… you…are you ok?” she was staring at him with a mix of confusion and concern. Sukuna blinked slowly. Adults. He hated them and their fake sympathy. 

“I’m fine, thank you for your concern, ma’am.” He forced a smile, and she smiled. She left him alone thereater, and he rested his head back against the glass. Where was he going again? 

\--- 

He got off the train and walked for a long time. The air was nicer further out. The blues and greens felt fresher. Hunger carved at his stomach, and he guessed it was noon. Where was he going again? 

\--- 

Sukuna stared at the house. Large, grandiose, cold. It was like he’d never left. His stomach crawled. Why was he here again? 

He pushed passed the iron wire gate fence open. The yard was pristine all trimmed and pruned to perfection. He caught sight of the gardener, but the man was far too busy to notice him. 

His knuckles were at the door, and he didn’t know why. They rattled against the hardwood, a hard ‘rata tat tat’. He thought of the pokemon game Yukari’d got him. 

He could hear the butler scrambling just beyond the door. As it opened, Sukuna met his gaze. The man was as unchanged as ever, pressed and permed to perfection. 

“Hello do you have an appo-…” The man stopped in mid sentence as he met Sukuna’s eyes. There was an uncomfortable pause before the butler coughed into his fist. “Master Sukuna,” the man tried again. “It’s…”

“Let me in,” Sukuna ordered. 

The butler flinched. “Sir I…”

“This is my home.” 

“I’ll… go alert your parents then…” the butler retreated inward leaving him at the door. Sukuna watched. _This is my home…_

Stepping inside, Sukuna shut the door behind himself. Green eyes traced around the home slowly. Still, big, still old. Nothing had changed. Had he really been gone at all? 

The sound of sprinting feet hit his ears, and Sukuna’s head jerked sideways. “Rokuuuu who’s at the doo-“ A girl, no more than three, whipped around the corner, a large grin on her face.

Green eyes met green eyes, and the girl stopped. Sukuna stared. 

Turning her head to one side and then the other, the girl backed up a few paces. “Who’re you?” she asked conveniently behind a vase stand. 

Sukuna couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move. 

_They replaced me…_

\--- 

_They replaced me…_

It pounded in his veins. Color left his features. He could hear ringing in his ears. 

_”Hey kid, don’t sleep here-“_

“Young master.” The butler’s voice drew Sukuna out of his daze. He swayed slightly before glancing at the man again. “The master is busy at the moment but the lady of the house will see you.” The butler paused glancing in the direction Sukuna had been looking before frowning. “Miss Suzuki, your mother would like to see you as well.” The girl perked and rather quickly came forward.

The walk up the stairs hurt his legs. His stomach was too tight, and the ringing in his ears never did go away. _Suzuki…._ They had to have chosen her name on purpose. 

Sukuna blinked his vision clear only to find the girl being led up by the butler in front of him was looking back at him curiously. Gritting his teeth, Sukuna made a face. The girl squeaked and rather quickly pressed against the butler. Sukuna’s gaze dropped. _This is my home…_

Up the stairs, on the left, the drawing room hadn’t changed places. Sukuna stared down the hall further wondering if his room had changed at all. He wouldn’t get to see. A different door was already opening for him. He stepped inside. 

\--- 

His mother hadn’t aged a day. Perhaps she even looked younger somehow. Sukuna watched her turn from the window she was standing in front of and smile. His stomach hurt. 

“Welcome,” the woman mused. Sukuna flinched. He wasn’t a guest here; he was… he was… 

“MAWMA,” Suzuki was already running passed him to cling to her mother’s leg. A bright smile warmed the girl’s face. Sukuna wanted to hit her. 

“Now now, Suzuki, is that any way to behave around a guest?” the woman asked. The girl giggled glancing back to Sukuna. 

The world was growing dark at the edges, dark and glossy. Sukuna stared there for a moment in silence. “Mom…” The word fell out of his lips long and hard. 

The woman froze for a moment before offering a smile. “Excuse me?” 

Sukuna would have preferred to be stabbed. 

“Mom…Mama….” The words were strangled, aching. Sukuna’s knees shook. He wanted to hit himself. “It’s _me_ Sukuna…” His voice was only a little louder. 

The woman stared at him for a long moment before frowning. Fine lines crossed her otherwise perfect features, and she shook her head once to clear it. “Forgive me, Sukuna was the name of my son. Do you have a surname I could perhaps call you by?” 

Sukuna was trembling then. The bells in his ears were screeching. “M- _Mom_ it’s _me_ ,” he emphasized louder, his voice shaking. The girl at her mother’s leg was staring. “ _Gojo Sukuna_ I’m your _son_.” Sukuna’s throat was raw. Where was the water when he needed it?

A grimace pealed across the woman’s features only for a second. “Please don’t… impersonate a child …like that…” she mused pressing Suzuki to her a bit more. “My son died four years ago in a tragic accident….”

Sukuna’s heart skipped a beat. 

The door closed behind him, and Sukuna was aware the butler had left. “ _M-mom…._ Stop it. Stop lying…Stop… it’s _me_ …” Sukuna’s voice trembled, and a weird laugh tickled his throat. His vision blurred, yet he focused as hard as he could to meet that woman’s gaze. “I’m _right here_ after four years. I …” 

"I'm sorry-" The woman started. Sukuna wouldn’t hear the rest. 

_”Hey kid, don’t sleep here-_

_Go home.”_

Sukuna stopped breathing. 

A fist formed, and a wall caved under it. His mother gasped. “Sir I’m going to have to ask you to leave… immediately,” she hesitated with her words. Sukuna didn’t meet her gaze. 

“Where is father?” he breathed. The woman frowned. “Where _is_ he?” The words came out in a snarl. 

She didn’t answer, and suddenly Sukuna found himself running. Doors were flying open of their own accord as he madly searched for that man. Surely he wouldn’t deny his presence too? 

A door handle turned, a door opened, and Sukuna stopped. 

\--- 

“Father,” Sukuna’s voice wretched, and bile was climbing up his throat. Aggravated, he reached to pinch his own cheek. _Calm down…_ As if he could. 

The man who sat at the desk didn’t even look up at first. Sukuna stepped passed the threshold. 

“Father it’s _me_ Sukuna. Gojo Sukuna. Father, I’ve come _home_.” The man slowly turned a page. “Mother doesn’t believe it, but I’m here. I’ve come home. I’m alive. I …”

“Shut up.”

Sukuna’s voice broke off. Cold green eyes were now looking into him. 

The world started pealing away. Colors faded out of existence. Light and warmth went down the drain. He could feel no pulse in himself in those moments. He’d died. 

“I don’t know who you think you are barging into my private office,” the man spoke crisp, smooth, hurtful words. “But you should know right now I do not appreciate unexpected visitors.” 

Cold. It was cold. Cold and painful. Sukuna’s eyes watered, and streams of tears were already on their way down his cheeks. No words came. No thoughts came. He stood there trembling. 

\----

 

A hand touched his shoulder, and suddenly Sukuna went rigid. 

“Apologies for my young companion,” Yukari’s voice strummed in the air softly. A breath drew back into Sukuna. “He seems to have gone on ahead of me and caused the Gojo family some troubles. I should have kept him on a shorter leash.”

Sukuna’s gaze turned and held Yukari. Yukari’s gaze never left Father’s. The man grit his teeth briefly. “And might I ask who you two _are_?” 

Yukari smiled. “You know us as JUNGLE.” The man froze. Yukari smiled wider, a cat at a mouse’s tail. A sing-song tone had formed. “Please, call me Yukari. My young companion is Sukuna. Quite a genius he is. He keeps our servers going all the time.” 

Sukuna’s gaze slowly shifted back to that man. He’d paled, as if all life had drained out of him. “And what is it exactly you are looking for?” the man asked, quieter than before. 

Yukari shrugged. A conversation about business deals and ideals ensued. Sukuna was barely aware of it. Before he realized it, they were walking out of the house. Yukari’s hand had not once left his shoulder. 

Passed the gates, Sukuna stepped. 

“You really can be an impulsive brat,” Yukari’s words drove a shiver through Sukuna. Green eyes raised and found Yukari staring forward. 

“Yeah…” Sukuna’s voice sounded dead to his own ears. 

Yukari stopped. Sukuna stopped. Before he realized it, Sukuna was pulled into a hug. A sharp breath drew into him, and he leaned hard against that chest. He was crying, hard, muffled sobs against Yukari’s chest before time passed. 

\----

“Don’t do that again.” 

Those had been Yukari’s last words spoken to him after he made him eat, drink, and brush his teeth. 

Now Sukuna was awake again in the dark of Yukari’s room, his master sleeping soundly on a futon nearby. He didn’t ask to share the room that night, but Yukari’d dragged him by the arm when the time came. 

His head was still spinning thoughts and images, but the ringing had stopped, and his stomach had stopped. He was just tired then. 

“Yukari,” Sukuna’s voice was soft in his own ears. 

“What?” 

Sukuna blinked in the darkness. He hadn’t expected him to still be up. For a hard moment, Sukuna didn’t know what to say. 

“Truth or dare?” 

“Fucking sleep, child.” There was a long pause followed by a sigh. “Truth.” 

“You came to get me, didn’t you?” Sukuna’s voice shook slightly. He closed his eyes tight against the darkness. 

A hard sigh hit the air. “What kind of dumb question is that?” Sukuna bit his lip. “Of course I did.” Sukuna’s eyes watered, and he clenched them tighter. There was another long pause before Yukari spoke again. “A master and apprentice are family thicker than blood.” 

Sukuna’s chest tightened. “Ok…” he breathed. 

For a while there was silence again, and then… “Sukuna.” 

Sukuna’s eyes blinked open in the darkness. “What,” he mumbled out. 

“You’re not weak for missing home.” Sukuna’s chest tightened. “Nagare, Iwa, and even I felt at home there. Don’t disgrace their memory by trying to fill the gap they left behind. Learn to embrace it, adorn it. Wear it proudly. It’s beautiful. It will make you stronger.” 

Choked sobs wracked Sukuna’s form. He didn’t hear the body shift off a futon nor did he hear the steps come closer to his own. He felt the weight of his own futon shift but didn’t understand the meaning. 

Slowly, arms wrapped around him, however. “Little brother, you’re still growing.” Yukari’s voice was in his ears. “But you have to learn to let certain things go. Prune the roses every now and again.” 

Sukuna slept after that. 

 

\---- 

Sukuna’s head ached, and he realized vaguely that Yukari’s hidden the coffee pot. Sitting at the table nursing a bowl of cereal, he muttered softly to himself. 

“Sukuna,” Yukari’s voice caused green eyes to raise. 

“What,” he complained back. 

Yukari stood there in pink pin stripe pjs and an apron reading ‘kiss the cook’. “I told you today I’m teaching you how to cook for yourself. All you eat is cereal otherwise.” 

Sukuna’s lips twitched. “Was that before or after the stupid allusions to flowers?” 

Yukari rolled his eyes. “Come now, it was a beautiful moment… especially seeing you sleep.” Sukuna grimaced. Yukari smiled fishing out his PDA. “I even took pictures so I could send them to all my friends.” 

“What friends do you even- YUKARI YOU BETTER NOT,” Sukuna shoved back on the table into a fighting stance. 

Yukari smiled. “You’re going to have to learn to cook someday. You can’t expect to get married and not treat your significant other to tasty food~” 

“I’m never getting married. I hate people.” 

Yukari sighed. “Not _all_ people are terrible,” he mused softly.

“Yeah I’m just surrounded by the worst of them.” Sukuna dropped into his seat again. Green eyes met his reflection in the window. 

Yukari’s lips twitched. “Not anymore,” he finally sang out louder than necessary. 

Sukuna sighed slowly looking back to him. “True.”


	2. A Rose's Thorns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sukuna learns there's no magical answer with Yukari.

Sukuna learned to cook. Yukari learned what a heart attack felt like. 

After breakfast, Yukari wouldn’t leave him alone. They went out to the mall, the park, and a couple of other shops. Every moment Sukuna’s face was questionable, Yukari said or did something that was supposed to be funny. Sukuna could appreciate it… sort of. 

Sukuna did feel better than he had in almost a year, though. A weight had been lifted off his chest somehow, and things in general became easier. He enjoyed games more. He ‘won’ truth or dare a lot more. Yukari now had to let him keep three cats and buy him some new clothes. It was … fun, somehow. 

Yukari seemed to be enjoying himself too, a bit too much, actually. Whatever. 

And then… 

“Hey Sukuna, when are you getting a girlfriend, hmmmm?” 

Sukuna choked on his drink. How many times had Yukari hinted at it today? Had he really just transitioned to blunt? A couple of coughs, and Sukuna swore he’d be fine. 

“What is your deal anyways? You’re the old guy around here,” Sukuna grunted. “Aren’t you like forty or something.” 

He watched Yukari blanch with more satisfaction than necessary. “You’re going to give me my first wrinkle…” Yukari huffed. Sukuna smirked. “I’m barely thirty-“ Yukari started. 

“Thirty-one,” Sukuna replied. 

Yukari squawked. “Is that any way to treat your mentor?”

“You’re the one who won’t get off my case!” Sukuna snapped back. 

“I just want you to try and find the love of your life, is that so hard?” Yukari replied back. 

Sukuna’s eyes rolled. “Where’s _yours_?” he growled. 

All too suddenly, Yukari’s expression dropped. “He died.” The words hit the air, and Sukuna squirmed. 

“S-sorry…” Sukuna stuttered, but Yukari was laughing loudly. Sukuna grimaced. 

“Y-o-u fell for it~” Yukari sing-song jeered. Hot rage suddenly washed over Sukuna, and some choice swear words hit the air. Yukari only laughed harder, rocking ever so precariously. 

“S-stop it!” Sukuna barked, features flushed. “Aren’t there rules about masters not tormenting apprentices or _something_?” Sukuna was shooting in the dark, and he knew it. 

Yukari smirked. “Oh yes, yes of course. It reads, and I quote ‘masters must make their apprentices into upstanding citizens… those who can take a joke’~” 

Sukuna’s face flattened. 

“Oh oh, but but you see, also as _family_ , I get to torment you even more- big brother code and all,” Yukari was beaming. Sukuna swatted at him. Yu 

“You damn …. _truth or dare_ , Yukari,” Sukuna huffed. He’d one-upped him for a moment. 

Yukari smiled softer before shrugging. “Dare…” 

“I dare you to kiss the first person you like.” 

Yukari leaned in. Sukuna leaned back. Yukari kissed him on the cheek. Sukuna punched him. “Not that like.” Sukuna may or may not have whined. 

\---- 

The swear jar was full by the time Sukuna was done that day. Yukari’d embarrassed him in ways only he could, and now Sukuna was left staring at his pocket change all held in a glass jar on coffee table.

“At this rate, we’ll be able to go on a cruise,” Yukari hummed wistfully as he applied a facial mask. Sukuna didn’t answer, feigning to be too interested in his birthday game to reply. “What level are you on?” Yukari asked after a moment. 

Sukuna shrugged. “My team’s in their thirties, grinding before challenging the next gym,” he replied glancing sideways only to find Yukari staring at him. “What.” 

“Thirties is a good thing… in the game, yes?” Yukari asked. 

Sukuna raised an eyebrow. “The higher your team level the stronger you are,” he shrugged before turning back to the game. Yukari was humming a bit louder than usual. Sukuna got up and found his headphones. The pokemon music was better than whatever wayward song had caught the ‘old man’s fancy. 

\---- 

“A date?” Sukuna stared up over his console. Yukari was sparkling at him. It was almost kind of gross. 

“Yep, going out with a real cutie,” Yukari smiled. “You’ll be alright here by yourself… right?” Yukari was eyeballing him uncertainly. 

Sukuna made a face. “No more random runs to nowhere,” he replied glancing down at his console. His team was now in their forties. He’d ground enough. “Just don’t bring him back here,” Sukuna warned. Yukari laughed. 

\---- 

Sukuna sat up, rubbing his face. What- where was he again? Looking down, he found his console continued to glow in the darkness. Had he really fallen asleep? 

A sound from the bathroom soon caught Sukuna’s ears. Yukari. _He better not have brought him back…_ Sukuna got up. Walking over, he grabbed handle and shoved the door inward. 

“Yukari you-“ 

Sukuna froze. 

Yukari stood there like a manikin, his hand on the open medicine cabinet and a vacant look in his eyes. Splotches of bruising were everywhere. They twisted up soft facial skin, ran down neck muscle, and thrashed torso fibers. That blue shirt had been ripped right down the side seam revealing a long knife-like gash. 

“Yukari...” Sukuna’s voice trembled. 

Yukari’s face twitched one way and then another, as if he were struggling with something to say. Finally, he smiled, shrugged, and looked back in the medicine cabinet pulling out some gauze. “Did you need something, Sukuna?” Yukari’s voice echoed softer than usual. 

“Yukari.”

“Hm? What?” Yukari’s voice was bright for a moment. 

“Is this some kind of a joke?” Sukuna’s voice was shrill. “What the hell happened to you?” 

“Hush, you’re so loud,” Yukari hummed. Sukuna grimaced. Yukari closed the medicine cabinet. “Sometimes adults want to have a rough time.” 

“Were you _fighting?_ ” Sukuna demanded. “Who did this? I’ll kill-“ 

“You are _so very_ loud right now, hush.” 

Sukuna’s voice died in his throat. Yukari didn’t look at him. He was leaned over inspecting his face in the mirror and putting on ointments. 

“Yukari,” Sukuna’s voice came out in a whine. 

Yukari smiled sideways at him. “Isn’t it passed your bed time?” 

“What did he do to you…” 

Yukari sighed. “Do you _really_ want to know of _adult matters_ , Sukuna?” 

Sukuna winced. 

Yukari nodded to himself. “I will say he did do a number on this gorgeous face…” he mused softly to himself dabbing ointment carefully. “Nothing a little concealer can’t fix, though.” 

“Why,” the question hung in the air, threatening a Damocles down. Yukari frowned. Sukuna stared. “You could have pulverized him. Why did you ….” Sukuna’s voice trembled and fell off. 

Yukari sighed audibly. “Go to bed, Sukuna, it’s passed your bed time.” 

A strange, strangled sound grew in Sukuna before he turned and ran. Slamming his bedroom door, he locked in before throwing himself on the bed. What did he care anyways? It was just like his parents. He could…he….could…..

\----- 

The next morning, Yukari was gone by the time Sukuna woke. A note on the counter said he’d be back by sundown. Sukuna’s skin crawled, and he fought back worry for more than a couple hours before going out. He wasn’t looking for _Yukari_ , he was just talking a walk. 

He wouldn’t find Yukari anyways. 

Sitting in a café, Sukuna stabbed at a parfait. He was hungry, but his stomach kept clenching. Every couple of bites, he’d stop to fight down nausea. _Fucking Yukari…_ Where the hell was he going today anyways? 

A bell chimed, and Sukuna glanced over his shoulder only to blanch. An annoyingly familiar black mutt had entered with Nagare’s favorite cat. Sukuna groaned and leaned down further in his seat. 

“What did Shiro want again? A parfait or …” Kuroh asked. Neko didn’t even seem to notice. She was humming some catchy jingle or another. 

_Silver king_ Sukuna’s chest tightened. _Nagare….I…_

Before Sukuna realized it, Neko was looking at him. Green eyes met heterochromatic ones, and Sukuna fidgeted. _Fuck_ he had to get out of there and quic-

“Kurosuke, that green prickly is here,” Neko giggled. 

“Excuse _you_ I am not a-“ Sukuna snarled only to pause. Pinching between his eyes, he wanted to hit himself. 

Kuroh had turned around by then, staring. “I noticed,” his voice came matter-of-factly. Sukuna wanted to hit him. “Just let him be, Neko. He doesn’t have a weapon on him.” 

Sukuna’s teeth grit. “So what if I don’t?” 

“He’s so angryyyyyyy,” Neko giggled. 

“I could fight you if-“ 

“Would your master approve of fighting in a store?” Kuroh’s question drew color onto Sukuna’s features. Green eyes darted away, and Sukuna huffed. 

“Ohhhhh how’d you do that?” Neko giggled. “He’s all red.” 

“He’s under Yukari’s teachings… which are Master Ichigen Miwa’s,” Kuroh’s words made Sukuna glance back again, eyes narrowed. “The things written in the heart are reflected in the eyes.” 

Color flushed into Sukuna’s cheeks anew, and he found himself standing upright. “Can you not, that’s creepy.” 

Kuroh balked. “How is that creepy? Certainly you as a pupil should understand.” 

“I don’t know one damn thing about Yukari!” Sukuna froze. Green eyes tightened shut, and Sukuna sat down. “Go eat your damn dessert or whatever,” he hissed folding his arms in front of himself and staring downward. 

For a moment it was quiet. Sukuna hoped they’d just order and leave. The sound of the booth shifting, however, had him glancing up to find them both there… staring at him. Sukuna grimaced. “What…” 

“Understanding a master can be difficult,” Kuroh spoke slow, carefully. Sukuna’s face contorted. “They have to be careful around you, so you will understand what the correct model looks like.” 

“How would you-“ 

“Yukari was not my master, but rather another student of my master. I was allowed to see him as a –“ 

“Well lucky you,” Sukuna’s voice broke in even as color doused his face. “Lucky you got to see him up close and personal or whatever you two did.” 

“What are you talking abo-“ 

“Who died?”

Silence engulfed the group. Neko shifted around a bit but seemed vaguely uninterested. Sukuna stared at Kuroh. Kuroh stared at Sukuna. “What do you mean?” Kuroh finally asked. 

“Who died? Who made Yukari….I mean…..” Sukuna flinched at his own words. Kuroh frowned. “Who was the person he…he loved….who…died?” Sukuna fidgeted. His stomach clawed at itself. Green eyes glanced away. 

Two lovers were embracing just outside the window. _Gross._

“I… don’t know,” Kuroh finally answered. Slowly Sukuna looked back. “Is it something that’s causing a problem now or… ?” 

“It’s none of your concern!” Sukuna snapped glancing back, venom in his eyes. Kuroh met his gaze, and Sukuna slowly deflated. “He’s just been…I…” Sukuna glanced down. He realized his ears were ringing. 

“Rain showers breathe life into the struggling,” Kuroh spoke slowly again. “But only to the plants whose roots are firm.” “

Sukuna raised fingers to his forehead. Teeth found lower lip again. “Are you saying I don’t believe in Yukari or….?” He struggled before looking up to eyeball Kuroh hard. 

“Why not just ask him, genuinely? Master Ichigen Miwa never once denied me of an answer when he had one to give.” Kuroh’s eyes were sparkling ever so subtly, and Sukuna grimaced. 

“Kurosuke! Isn’t he right there?” Neko chimed in causing two heads to turn. Sukuna stared wide eyed. Sure enough, Yukari was walking by across the street. A man was at his side, and they seemed to be talking. “Now’s your chance! Go ask him! Right now!” Neko’s voice giggled. Sukuna sat there unable to move. 

_Who’s he talking to now?_

\--- 

Sukuna stared out the window as Yukari passed hand in hand with a stranger. The man didn’t appear out of the ordinary- at least at a distance. What was so great about black hair, fair skin and a business suit? He didn’t even look like Yukari’s – er… type? 

The table was shaking, but Sukuna wouldn’t notice until a hand set down on his own. Jerking, Sukuna turned his head to find Kuroh staring at him. “Shall I help you talk to him?” There was a strange look in Kuroh’s eyes. “Surely having another might be-“

“It’s none of your concern,” Sukuna hissed. Shifting from the seat, he stood upright. A hand reached for his arm, and Sukuna jerked it away. “I said-“ Neko was staring at him again. Sukuna grimaced. “What?” 

“Kurosuke helps me with homework and does cooking and is _really really good_ at helping people,” Neko grinned. 

A fine line drew on Sukuna’s lips. Slowly looking passed Neko, Sukuna met Kuroh’s gaze. “I’m _fine_ he spoke slowly, loudly, before pulling his arm away. “I don’t need anyone, especially not a _stupid Silver_.” 

Sukuna’s hand clasped the café door before he even realized it. Jerking it open, he hopped onto the street. Jerking in the direction Yukari’d went, he found himself jogging, quietly. They couldn’t have gotten that far ahead of him, could they? 

Green eyes flashed down every corner street. Purple hair wasn’t _that_ hard to miss.

There it was! 

_Shit_ , it was turning down a street. Sukuna slowed and ducked behind a fruit stand, waiting for the pair to move before moving himself. They weren’t moving fast but weren’t predictable. This was going to be annoying. 

\---

At last he’d gotten close. Ducking down around a corner, Sukuna took slow breaths trying to calm his slamming heart. At the end of the next street, Yukari was walking with that man still. They’d stopped and were laughing about… something? 

“Ah, finally caught up.” 

The voice in Sukuna’s ear made him jerk sideways. “You-“ 

“Shush.” Kuroh wasn’t looking at him but beyond him. Neko was just behind, smiling brightly as ever. Sukuna grimaced. 

“Stop following me…” Sukuna growled before turning back to look where Yukari had gone. Realizing he was out of line of sight, Sukuna swore. “Damn it…”

“Come on or we’re going to lose him,” Kuroh’s voice was stern if quiet. He’d already started moving again. Sukuna sighed but followed after. Since when had this been a party game? 

\--- 

Yukari and that man separated after another street, waving and talking loudly. After that, however, it was harder and harder to keep after Yukari. He whipped down streets, turned into shops for only seconds at a time. Finally, both Sukuna and Kuroh were left standing on a street corner scowling. Neko’d found a lamp post to hang off for a moment or two and was giggling to herself. 

“Where could he have…” Sukuna fought to catch his breath. “Gone?” 

“He was moving very quickly, I must admit…” Kuroh stood there with his arms folded and a frown on his face. “I was sure he went down this street but…”

THONK. 

Sukuna dropped to his knees. His hands clutched his head. “Shit,” he whined glancing sideways to find Kuroh in a similar position. Neko’s annoying laughter came after. 

Looking back over his shoulder, Yukari stood, a harsh smile on his face. “You know it’s not nice to follow people, Sukuna-dear… and hello Kuroh-sweetie, it’s been a while….” 

“Ugh Yukari…” Shifting around, Sukuna slowly stood again. 

“It has…” Kuroh finally spoke up, slowly shifting and standing as well.

\--- 

Yukari stood there, four bags in hand tossed over one shoulder. Sukuna’s eyes scanned over him and almost couldn’t find any damage at all. Concealer really did work like that, huh… 

“Sukuna, what _are_ you frowning about?” Yukari mused.“And here I thought you were having fun following me around with Kuroh.” Neko laughed. Sukuna and Kuroh exchanged a glance. 

“Apologies for following you,” Kuroh sighed softly. “Sukuna was worried abo-“ 

“I was _not_!” Sukuna broke raising a hand up between Yukari and Kuroh as if to block them. “I…” 

“Kuroh-dear, I couldn’t help but notice- Don’t you have a king to be bringing delicious treats back to?” Yukari smiled unfazed. 

“Kurosuke!” Neko chimed in. 

A strangely bright blush hit Kuroh’s face, and rather quickly he was straightening.. “Neko, let’s go, we need to get these things back to Shiro!” He spoke urgently. Neko nodded fiercely. “I can’t believe we forgot. Hopefully they won’t taste terrible if we cool them…” Kuroh was talking to himself more than Neko even as she followed him down the street. 

Sukuna stared, dumbfounded. How had those stupid Silvers managed to defeat them again? 

\--- 

“Sukuna,” Yukari’s voice hit Sukuna’s ears, and slowly he looked back to him. Yukari was staring at him, harder than usual. 

“What?” Sukuna mumbled, uncomfortably. 

“Did you enjoy spying on my date?” Yukari’s spoke. The sing-song playfulness faded from his voice. It was hard, flat. 

“Yukari,” Sukuna let his eyes drop to his shoes. “I..... wanted to ask you a few things, serious things…” 

There was a silence before Yukari slowly sighed. “Just let it go-“ 

“ _Please_ ,” Sukuna interjected, suddenly meeting Yukari’s gaze hard. “Please… just.. answer a few things, and… and I won’t talk about it anymore. I …I get it. You don’t want to talk about it, but I…” Sukuna realized his vision had blurred slightly, and he blinked hard to clear it. A couple of trace tears slid down his cheeks, and he aggrivatedly wiped them away. 

Yukari’s face slacked, but a softer expression came to his eyes. “Ah… Sukuna,” he spoke slowly, softly. “I…” Yukari’s voice stopped, and he frowned. He didn’t know quite what to say. Sukuna didn’t either.. “This is not the time nor the place for this. Let’s go home.” Sukuna only nodded. 

\--- 

They walked home in silence. Sukuna’s head hurt, but he didn’t even bother to complain. It was only when the door to the apartment closed and Sukuna dropped down onto the couch that the silence was broken. 

“You kids grow up too fast.” 

Sukuna blinked, glancing up to watch Yukari pull up a chair. Lowering himself into it, Yukari stretched over the back. Sukuna frowned and glanced down again. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he mumbled low, almost to himself. 

Yukari was quiet for a while before answering. “You were ten when you joined JUNGLE. Now we stand here four years later.” 

“You were twenty-seven four years ago, huh?” Sukuna asked quietly. Yukari laughed. 

“What did you want to ask me, again?” Yukari sounded tired. Sukuna realized he was tired too. 

“You weren’t lying when you said the… person you loved died,” Sukuna started. It wasn’t a question. 

A deep sigh hit the air. Sukuna instinctively brought his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, steadying himself. “Of course not,” Yukari finally replied, slowly. 

“Do… you believe you’re… going to love like that again?” Sukuna was struggling. The words were hard to find and harder to say. 

“What’s it matter?” 

“Yukari.” 

Another sigh. “No,” Yukari’d shut his eyes. “A perfect flower requires special conditions to bloom.” 

“Oh...” Sukuna’s voice was quiet even to his own ears. Teeth found bottom lip, and Sukuna struggled with what he wanted to ask next. 

“You want to know why I go on dates,” Yukari spoke. It wasn’t a question. Sukuna nodded, unsure if Yukari could see him or not. Slowly opening his eyes, Yukari stared upwards at the ceiling. “Why I let them hurt me, physically, mentally, socially…” Yukari’s sing-song voice had returned for a moment, and he chuckled. 

“Yukari-” Sukuna started but fell silent when he found Yukari’s eyes on him. 

“Don’t look at me so pitifully,” Yukari smiled briefly. “It’s not pretty.” Sukuna’s gaze dropped again. Resting his elbows on his knees, Yukari sat his chin on his fists. “Want to know a secret?” he asked but then immediately answered. “I never do that type of thing under a king.” 

Sukuna straightened slightly. “Wh-what?” 

“Under Ichigen Miwa and during my time with Nagare, I never once dated.” 

Sukuna thought back, and even amongst the numerous and slowly fogging memories, he couldn’t find a time Yukari’d gone ‘out’ in that way, not when they were under Nagare. “Why?” Sukuna asked before he realized it. 

Yukari laughed briefly. “Who has _time_ to go out dating when you’re training, making plans, and following orders?” he chimed. Sukuna frowned. Yukari sighed. “That… and let’s just say a part of me likes to be ruled.” Sukuna blanched. Yukari chuckled crossly. “Silly, isn’t it? How does the rose bush expect to bloom when confined to a green house?”

“You loved them… both…” Sukuna spoke quietly. 

Yukari smiled. “The men I loved were of different natures,” he mused softly. “One bent on seclusion, one bent on reckless freedom. So at odds but so beautiful each in their own way.”

Sukuna glanced down. “Didn’t you-“ He didn’t want to ask, didn’t want to pry any more than he had, yet. 

“I did leave Master Ichigen Miwa,” Yukari hummed. “But I confessed my heart to him through our blades before I left. His answer was beautiful but not the one I wanted.” Yukari mused almost dreamily. 

Sukuna shivered involuntarily. “And Nagare-” 

“He knew,” Yukari laughed brightly. “He knew just like he knew everything else.” 

“Yukari..” Sukuna found Yukari’s tired eyes on him again. “Thanks for telling me…” Sukuna spoke quietly, letting his gaze drop. 

A chuckle reverberated from Yukari. “I’m surprised,” he mused. 

Sukuna frowned. “About what?” 

“And here I thought I was about to get a lecture on taking care of myself and how this isn’t what either of them would have wanted for me. Something childish, cliché even.” 

Sukuna was silent. Yukari was staring at him. Sukuna folded himself into the side of the couch. 

“It wouldn’t have changed your mind anyways.” 

Yukari replied weaker. “You know me a bit too well, little brother.”


	3. Cold Blooms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kotosaka has returned, and Christmas has come early. Yukari finds himself with doubts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A different perspective, mostly Yukari's point of view.

Curled up on the couch, Sukuna lay, eyes shut. His face had slacked, and the slow expansion and contraction of his abdomen hinted at a deep sleep. Arms held steadfast around the knees they’d wrapped around hours ago, but curled fingers twitched every once in a while. It was an all too familiar scene. Sukuna was at peace for the moment. 

Yukari sat back in his chair slowly. They’d talked a little longer after the initial questions, a couple hours of meaningless drabble before Sukuna finally nodded off. Watching him now, Yukari remembered the numerous times Sukuna’d fallen asleep like that. In two years of being in JUNGLE, the boy had never made a room for himself, always falling asleep on the common room’s tatami mat instead. Yukari’d find him in the morning, curled up under a blanket Iwa’d left, with a console controller still clasped in his hand. It had been cute. 

_How long will you continue to play these game, Sukuna?_ Slowly stretching, Yukari forced himself up from the chair. His body felt weighted. A dry, witty smile drew across his lips briefly. _I better not gain a single pound off of this stress._ Yukari shook his head slowly. _Not one…_ Sauntering over to the closet, Yukari pealed a blanket off the middle shelf before turning and waltzing back opening it up as he went. Caught in an upward swell, the blanket would fall gently over Sukuna. The boy grumbled in his sleep, shifting slightly to lay flatter. Yukari smiled. He would have tried for a pillow, but disturbing the sleeping cat much more would just wake him. 

Fishing for his PDA, Yukari stared down at a small army of messages waiting for him. _You, dear, are entirely too needy…_ Yukari smiled scrolling through them. Glancing back at the sleeping boy, Yukari rolled his shoulders. _I’ve already got one brat…_ A strangely soft smile came and went from Yukari’s features. _A growing, strangely endearing brat…_ Shaking his head, Yukari walked to his bedroom. 

\--- 

Rain hissed down from the sky that night in a chorus of unrecognizable swearing. Slamming against building windows, it made quiet ‘pat pat pat’s in small droves. Arms folded behind his head, Yukari stared up at the dark sculpted ceiling. _No sleep tonight… how annoying…_ Yukari’s eyes shut gently. _I’m going to get my first wrinkle here very soon at this rate…_ Perhaps there was the ghost of a smile across Yukari’s features as he slowly waited until morning. 

\--- 

“YUKARI! YU-KAR-RI! YUKARI.” A fist was banging on the door in time with the repetitions of his name. Yukari opened an eyelid. The royal purple of the sheets that wrapped his futon flooded his vision before he glanced down to the foot of the futon and the door by extension. _We really are going to have to work on your volume, Sukuna…_ Yukari closed the eyelid and rolled over, pulling the pillow over his head. _Five more minutes, child…_ Had he really slept at all or just shifted in time? 

“Yukari! Yukari get up! Get up!” Sukuna was yelling. Yukari groaned. 

Taking a slow deep breath, Yukari sat up. Every muscle in him was taunt. _How displeasing…_ Arms raised upward, stretching high, back, and to each side. _Ouch_ , that little cut from the other day reminded him it was there. Reaching a hand to the side of his face, he lightly scratched at the bruise. Pulling his fingers away and staring at the mess of foundation and concealer, Yukari half frowned. Had he really been so tired as to forget to take it off? _How troublesome._

“YUKARI! YU-KAR-I” Sukuna’s voice was now trying in multiple tones and measures as his fist hit the door. 

“Sukuna you’re being _loud_ again,” Yukari finally called, resisting a yawn as he reached to massage his temple. _That better not be a migrai-_ …The door thrust in right after. Standing there huffing, Sukuna was already dressed.

“It’s Kotosaka! A vet office called! They found him!”

Yukari blinked. Sukuna bounced on his heels as he stared at him. _You do recover quickly don’t you, Sukuna._ Yukari mused. And here he was expecting to be avoided the next few days if not longer. Children were such strange creatures. “Oh? Good,” he smiled. “Give me fifteen minutes.” 

“I’m _not_ waiting,” Sukuna’s voice insisted. “We need to go _now_.” For a moment, a flicker of worry came to Sukuna’s features before being replaced by irritation. “Come on!” 

Yukari smiled again. “Go on ahead then. Leave the address on the table. I’ll be there-“ Yukari paused. Sukuna was staring at him, hard, warily. _Ah… still concerned, Sukuna-dear…_ He’d dealt with it about as well as one would have expected, better, in fact, yet letting things go really was difficult, wasn’t it? “Fine… alright… alright, _five_ minutes, then…” 

Sukuna nodded before leaving the threshold. His footsteps were already leading off to the door. _Impatient…_

\--- 

Yukari barely had time to pull on clothes before Sukuna ushered them both out the door. Now, the boy was leading more than ten steps ahead down the street. The ground glistened, slick with rain. Yukari watched as Sukuna stomped the water. “Hurry _up_ , Yukari!” Sukuna yelled over his shoulder. “It’s just up ahead.” Like that, Sukuna took off running after. Yukari smiled. This had been the boy who’d batted the poor bird more than once. _Yes.. let’s reclaim our third team member…_ Yukari walked a bit faster after that. 

The vet’s office wasn’t _that_ far all things considered. Stepping inside, Yukari found Sukuna already leaned over the front counter staring at a woman who’d shrunken back in response. “Yes I _am_ the one who picked up the phone. Where _is_ he?” Sukuna demanded. 

Yukari sighed loudly enough to cause Sukuna to turn off the counter. “Sukuna-dear, that is no way to ask for help,” Yukari sang, a wry smirk on his features. Sukuna glared. Yukari’s eyes found themselves at the woman’s instead. “Good morning, ma’am,” he chimed lightly. “We’re looking for a very special family member, a parrot. Someone called us saying he was here?” 

The woman slowly straightened a little, eyeballing Sukuna who scowled, before meeting Yukari’s gaze. “A-ah yes the parrot from this morning…” Yukari nodded. “He’s … quite impressive,” she commented after, looking at him a bit uncertainly. 

“He is,” was the simple agreement “His name is Kotosaka, if he didn’t tell you himself.” 

At once the woman seemed to sigh and brighten. “He did, actually. He’s quite a smart bird. He came into the clinic and recited a phone number repeatedly, even as we checked him over for injuries.” 

“Was he?” Sukuna interjected causing the woman to look at him uncertainly. 

Looking back at Yukari, she frowned. “He does have a broken wing, I’m afraid. We think perhaps a bicycle clipped him…but he should be just fine once he’s healed. It will take some ti-” 

“Good,” Sukuna blurted out loudly. “Where is he?” Demand had captured his voice again. 

Yukari smiled. “May we go see him then?” he asked a bit more _nicely_. The woman hesitated before slowly nodding. Getting up, she led them to a room and then went to get a vet tech who slowly came back with the bird. 

Kotosaka looked rough with wear. His normally well pruned feathers were all out of sorts, and the splint they’d confined his wing to looked big and bulky on him. The bird, however, whistled rather loud upon seeing Yukari and Sukuna.

“Yukari!” Kotosaka shrieked. “Brat!” 

“Excuse you!” Sukuna huffed, folding his arms in front of himself. “You’re the brat for _flying off into nowhere…_ ” Sukuna snapped. 

“Hello, Kotosaka, you seem a little rough there,” Yukari grinned drawing closer and leaning over. Kotosaka ruffled his feathers and made a few clicking sounds. Yukari smirked. _Your game is ‘dumb bird’, dear…_

“Yukari, Yukari… “ Kotosaka sang smoothly before reciting a familiar number. 

Yukari half laughed again. “I’m glad you remembered where home was, Kotosaka. We were worried.” 

The vet tech smiled. The receptionist smiled. Even Sukuna was smiling just a little. Yukari extended an arm, and Kotosaka clawed up it rather quickly. Finally resting on Yukari’s shoulder, Kotosaka clicked softly. 

“Brat!” Kotosaka called. 

“What?” Sukuna snapped. 

“Message!” Sukuna raised an eyebrow. Yukari glanced sideways. _A message?_

“Oh,” the vet tech breathed. Yukari glanced at him causing the man to straighten. “Uhm, you don’t use him for transporting mail, do you?” 

“What?” Sukuna snapped. 

The vet tech winced. “There was a letter he had… We looked at it but..” The man fumbled before pulling out a rather carefully wrapped piece of paper.

Yukari reached for it, but Sukuna swiped it first. Opening it rather quickly, the boy stared at whatever was on the paper only to blanch. Yukari bit the urge to frown. Shifting a bit to lean over his shoulder, Yukari glanced down at the paper. _Ah…._ Thin fingers sealed around the paper rather quickly before jerking it from Sukuna’s hands. 

“Hey!” Sukuna frowned. 

“Ignore it,” Yukari could hear the command in his own tone. Sukuna fidgeted before sighing. “It’s probably just a prank…Poor Kotosaka…” Yukari reached to run his fingers slowly across plumage. 

“Yukari…” was the grumbled statement. 

“Just a prank,” Yukari insisted. 

Sukuna fell quiet. Kotosaka whistled a low tune. 

“Anyways,” Yukari shifted back to the vet tech and the secretary. “Thank you for finding him…and treating such a nasty injury… I suppose we’ll have to pay you, yes?” The secretary nodded. “Let’s get that settled then.”

\--- 

“Yukari,” Sukuna’s voice was low, uncertain. Yukari glanced sideways at him. “You saw it. Do you think…” 

“No,” Yukari spoke softly. “Probably someone just got ahold of him and thought it was funny.”

“But,” Sukuna started but fell silent. 

“I know…” Yukari sighed. 

“Shouldn’t we at least look into it? Those were coordinates in _our code_.” 

“And plenty of people use JUNGLE’s codes now.” There was a sigh, but from whom neither Sukuna nor Yukari could tell. “Kotosaka, mind explaining what happened?” Yukari asked. Kotosaka shifted and ruffled his feathers. Yukari hummed. “Still traumatized by those prankers?” Kotosaka made a whistling sound. Yukari smiled and shook his head. “It’s nothing, Sukuna.” 

Sukuna was staring at him. The look of conflict that bled out onto the boy’s features was ugly. “Nagare and Iwa have been dead for some time, Sukuna,” Yukari reminded him.. “The slate fragment you keep under your bed confirms that.” Sukuna grimaced and glanced away. Yukari sighed. “Enough, c’mon, let’s go shopping.”

“Is that your answer to _everything_?” Sukuna growled. 

Yukari paused. “Do you want to go running into the middle of nowhere just to find nothing?” 

“I want to know, ok?” Sukuna was looking at him again, with that hard stare. “Don’t you?” 

\--- 

Some part of Yukari couldn’t believe they were doing this. It was cold, wet, yet there they were sloshing through slick streets, PDA’s in hand. 

“It’s around here somewhere…” Sukuna insisted. 

Yukari rolled his eyes, fighting off a headache. Sukuna’d said the same thing twenty minutes ago. “It was a _hoax_ Sukuna, a prank. You of all people should know-“ Yukari stopped himself as Sukuna’s fierce gaze whipped around. Dropping his own, Yukari thumbed over his PDA. “You wouldn’t happen to know what’s around here, would you, Kotosaka?” He chuckled softly. Kotosaka only hummed. “Ah…” 

“YUKARI!” Sukuna’s voice broke suddenly. Yukari jerked up. Sukuna stood at the end of an alleyway now, hand on a dumpster of _all things_. “It’s locked!” 

Yukari frowned yet closed distance. “Of course it is, the trash bots-“ Yukari froze. There at the front of the dumpster was a pad not unlike the one their base once used. _Oh my…_

“The password doesn’t work though…” Sukuna was grumbling to himself, pushing the buttons with a wild fervor. Yukari’s hand seized his wrist, and Sukuna glared at him. Yukari’s gaze shifted to the button pad. 

“8. 25. 19. 83. 12. 1. 20. 00.” The words spilled from Kotosaka mechanically. A chill shot up Yukari, and he shivered briefly. “Are you sure now, Kotosaka?” he started playfully. Sukuna, however, didn’t waste a beat typing it in. With a long pained sigh, the dumpster lid opened after. Yukari stared, dumbfounded. _What... What was this?_

The sound of hopping yanked Yukari back into reality. Sukuna bounced up and down trying to see what was inside. Pausing, the boy glanced one way and then the other looking for something to stand on. Yukari’s hand reached over to snag him by the waist. “Atch- Yukari,” Sukuna briefly complained as he was pulled up. Yukari, however, stared down into the dumpster. 

A myriad of red and green items littered the dumpster. Wreaths, garland, ornaments, and numerous toys filled up three quarters of the way. On top of it all, a white letter sat, perfectly placed. A familiar green seal held it together. “Yukari…” Sukuna’s voice shook in his ears. Yukari would have answered had not the boy decided to squirm and climb him next. 

"Ouch, ouch, hey _stop_ ," Yukari growled, but Sukuna had already kicked his shoulder to climb _into_ the dumpster. A small snarl sound escaped from Sukuna as he landed in the pile. Twisting around, he swore softly before grabbing at the letter. "Sukuna," Yukari started but sighed watching him rip it open to reveal a paper. _You are so impatient, child..._

Holding the paper close to his face, Sukna squinted.. _We need to get your vision checked..._ Yukari put the thought away for later. "What's written on it, hm?" Yukari asked. He wouldn’t get an immediate answer, however. Sukuna's shoulders shook, and a small whine escaped from him instead. 

"Nagare," Sukuna's voice trembled as he reached to rub his eyes. "Left this for next .... next..." He didn't finish but dissolved into tears. Yukari winced, reaching forward to slowly take the paper from him. Both Sukuna’s hands raised to wipe at his eyes. 

The paper was typed in much the same way the coordinates had been yet not written in code. Yukari stared for a long time, reading the paper and listening to Sukuna struggle to get ahold of himself. _Nagare...you never cease to surpass all expectations..._ Yukari took a slow breath smiling to himself before shaking his head. 

"Sukuna," Yukari spoke softly, gently. "This is ours. Let's see if we can't get it home, somehow." A strange laugh escaped after that. 

\---

Sukuna didn't stop crying for a long time. Even as they managed to transport everything from the dumpster all the way back to the apartment, the boy wept. Yukari couldn’t blame him- even if it was only shoving more daggers into his migraine. It took three precarious trips total, but they got it all. Not a thing was missed. Now it all laid out in their apartment, a cluster of things neither one had thought about. Christmas had come early that year. 

Neither one said anything. Neither one of them _could_ say anything. Yukari pretended to be focused on a vanity mirror set on the kitchen counter, and Sukuna played a game on his console. It was like that for several hours up until Sukuna finally broke the silence. "Did he know?"

Yukari didn't reply. 

"Did he know he was going to ...die?" Sukuna asked again."Yukari did...did he know?"

"I don't know, Sukuna," Yukari finally replied. "Ichigen Miwa could the future, but the nature of the Colorless King is different from any of the others." 

"Why would he leave this? Why would he prepare for this like..." Sukuna whispered. Yukari didn't need to see to know he was on the verge of tears again. 

"It could have been a game for next year," Yukari replied. "Though the one to ask is actually Kotosaka..." Brown and green eyes set themselves on the silent bird perched on the couch. They'd both given him more than a couple of glances, a couple of questions. Kotosaka had resolved himself to silence, though. Thinking back, they'd both recalled the vet had said 'had' the paper- not that it was attached to his leg or anything. What did it mean, though? 

"Bird-brain," Sukuna addressed. Yukari fought a laugh. "Tell us what you know." Kotosaka didn't answer. "Look, you're not dumb, we all know it." 

"After you called him Bird-brain??" Yukari mused. Sukuna grumbled. "Kotosaka, won't you tell us where you got the letter at least? The code." 

Kotosaka glanced sideways and ruffled his feathers. "Nagare’s Secret," he finally spoke hopping briefly before going still again. A strange, frustrated sound escaped from Sukuna. Yukari couldn't help but laugh. 

"Worrying about us even after your death, Nagare?" Yukari smiled softly. _Even knowing how much I dislike Christmas?_ No, maybe it was _because_ he had known. Yukari smiled reaching up to slowly twist his locks around one finger. Kotosaka whistled a little more, and it was almost funny- almost. 

Sukuna had gone back to his game, muttering something about ‘bird brains’ under his breath. Yukari had to wonder if it was because he was above retaliation by that point or because Kotosaka was already injured- probably the latter. Staring up at the ceiling, Yukari shut his eyes again. Whatever the answer, they had to fancy a reply, now didn't they? _Nagare you truly out do yourself…_ "Sukuna, let's do Christmas." 

\---

"Sukuna, let's do Christmas." The grimace on Sukuna's face was about what Yukari would have expected. Still, he wasn't going to take it back now. That would be uncute. Sukuna's gaze darted away from him, and Yukari sighed. "We have all the things we need here,” Yukari started again. “Nagare made sure of that. Last Christmas was fun, wasn't it?" Could Sukuna hear the strain in his voice? 

"We stole the slate last Christmas," Sukuna's tone was about as scorning as his expression as he looked back again. 

"And you can't tell me that wasn't fun," Yukari mused playfully. Sukuna fidgeted. "It was, wasn't it? We got to play with strong enemies- no, take down strong enemies, and we got the best Christmas present anyone could ask for, didn't we?" Yukari watched the slow transition of expressions on Sukuna’s face, a look of confusion, uncertainty, before resolve finally hit. 

"If we hadn't stolen the slate, Nagare…and Iwa would still be alive," Sukuna retorted coldly after a moment staring down at his console once more. 

_Oh lovely…_ Yukari glanced away briefly finding his gaze on Kotosaka. The bird glanced sideways at him and ruffled his feathers again. Yukari took in a slow breath. "Are you sure of that?" he finally asked. Daggers glared at his profile. Yukari glanced sideways to meet them. "Can you honestly say that you know that for sure, Sukuna?” 

"They wouldn't have died!" Sukuna snapped. Yukari watched him squirm where he sat. _Maybe…_ Yukari hated agreeing with him about as much as he hated playing the devil’s advocate right then. 

"People die when you least expect it, that's a fact, Sukuna,” Yukari mused glancing at his reflection in the mirror. A small smile tugged at his lips but fell. _And step out of your life in other ways as well…_

"Iwa wouldn’t have died if he hadn’t fought the Blue King! Nagare wouldn't have died if the slate hadn't been destroyed, if it hadn't been...." Sukuna was fumbling with his words, trying to find the right one. Yukari already knew it, however. 

"Released," Yukari finished the sentence after a moment. "The slate wouldn't have been destroyed if it hadn't been released in the first place. But then that was Nagare's dream wasn't it? His desire was to make a new world, beautiful world, using the slate's power. Was it not?" _Was it not?_ His own words tasted funny, like the bite of a joke. They were a hard truth, something he has an adult understood innately. Still, saying them wasn’t so easy. 

Sukuna fell silent. Yukari glanced back to him. "Let's celebrate this Christmas for him and Iwa, shall we?" he tried again, meeting the green gaze that held him. _Besides, children need to have fun, don’t they?_ It was for Sukuna, wasn’t it? Heh. 

Silence held the room for a while before a small, tired "fine" escaped from the boy playing the console. A strangely pleasing whistle came and went from Kotosaka. Yukari glanced to the bird and smiled. _Nagare are you happy as well?_

\---

The preparations for Christmas were underway, and though neither of them knew exactly what to do, they managed. Yukari put holes in the wall and hung garland. Sukuna fought the uphill battle of putting together a plastic tree. They both warred with the Christmas lights for more than a few hours before continuing on their crusade to decorate the apartment. Kotosaka learned quickly to stay out of the damn way. It was dark by the time they'd finished. 

"What a waste of a day," Yukari yawned, stretching out his back as he hung over the couch.

"You're the one who suggested it," Sukuna replied from the floor that he'd sprwaled out on. Every few seconds, he was pressing something on his PDA. Yukari didn't bother to see what it was, exactly. 

"I suppose it wasn't too wasteful then," Yukari smirked softly. "The living room is rather beautiful now, I must say." It was, indeed. The bright colors of the lights and the earthiness of the garland gave their apartment an ethereal look. _An urban jungle…_ Yukari could have laughed. 

“Beautiful!” Kotosaka exclaimed unexpectedly causing Yukari to jolt. 

“Kotosaka stop _doing_ that!” Sukuna snapped. “Speak normal already or not at all!” 

Yukari laughed. “He’s not wrong though,” he grinned briefly at the bird. 

"...Yeah..." Sukuna spoke softly after a moment. 

All too suddenly ‘It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas’ poured out into the room. Yukari blinked looking over at the PDA, its source. Sukuna'd turned bright red and rather quickly shut it off. "Making a playlist?" Yukari grinned. _How cute…_

"I....might be," Sukuna spoke through grit teeth. 

"Play it," Yukari hummed. "And I'll teach you how to properly dance while we're at it." Why not?

Sukuna sputtered. Yukari laughed. "No way!"

"Come now," Yukari mused shifting on the couch to sit properly. "As a proper gentleman in training you should know how to do the very basic steps." Sukuna was scowling at him and seemed to be slowly scooting away. Yukari grinned, shifting off the couch. 

"Yukari!" 

"Humor me?" Yukari tried. Sukuna made a face, scooting back more. 

“Humor him!” Kotosaka commanded. 

“You're too damn tall anyways,” Sukuna growled. Yukari slowly stood. 

"Maybe you should try heels," Yukari smiled. Sukuna made another face, and Yukari couldn’t help but smirk. "Come on, just a song or two." 

Sukuna sighed deeply before finally sitting up. "Just one, ok?" Yukari stood. Sukuna stood. Music poured out of the PDA after. 

\---

The dance was awkward at best for the both of them. Sukuna kept stepping on his feet, and Yukari couldn't stop the impulse to complain about it. They stepped away and came back again more than several times. Strangely, though, their arguments broke down into laughter after a while. It was _funny_. The entire situation was funny, as funny as it was horrible. The dance went on in a flurry of strange laughs. Finally after three songs, sinking down onto the couch, the two exhaled. 

"You're not _terrible_ , at least now," Yukari sung after a momentary breath catch. 

"Yeah?" Sukuna asked shrugging his shoulders. 

"We both should retire soon. Tomorrow's a busy day," Yukari grinned toothily sideways. A thought had come to him in that dance. 

"What," Sukuna frowned. 

Yukari grinned more. "Yes, we both have Christmas shopping to do, don't we?" 

"We can order most of it online and just have it delivered," Sukuna retorted. 

"That's not the point," Yukari elbowed him a little. "The point is to go out and do some Christmas _sales_ shopping." Did he love the chaos of stressed out shoppers? Maybe a bit too much. 

"Statistically speaking-" 

"Enough with your stats homework." Yukari mused. 

Both of them stared at each other. Sukuna smirked. Yukari grinned. 

"Fine," Sukuna shrugged. "Since _you're_ the teacher." 

Yukari paused. _Ah yes, me…_ He smiled softer. "Maybe I should send you to public school; you might get a better-" Yukari stopped. Sukuna was staring at him with a look of anxiety he’d come to know rather well. “Sorry,” the word escaped into the air. “I won’t.” 

A slow exhaled breath escaped from Sukuna, and the boy fished for his game console. Yukari watched him briefly. _Am I really cut out for this?_ Yukari slowly let his gaze float to the ceiling. 

\--- 

They retired for the night, and once more it rained. Yukari stared up at the ceiling taking in slow breaths. His side hurt more than expected, and his chest hurt. Closing his eyes, he rolled onto his side, taking slow, delicate breaths. 

\--- 

The next morning, as Yukari stepped out of his room, a particular smell caught his nose. Blinking away sleep fiercely, he twisted around into the kitchen, where Sukuna was leaned over the counter, glaring at a book as he worked. “Sukuna, something’s bur-“ 

“It is not!” Sukuna hissed not looking at him. “I already fixed it. Just sit down. It’s almost done.” Sukuna wasted no time returning to muttering to himself. 

Yukari watched for a moment before slowly shrugging. Insurance would cover if their apartment burnt down, right? Sauntering over to the kitchen table, he lowered himself into a chair. An elbow rested on hard wood and a cheek set lightly on an open palm. “Good morning, Kotosaka,” he mused softly eyeing the bird already at the table. 

“Mornin!” Kotosaka chirped happily. 

Over the next hour, Sukuna fumbled with pans and food several times, but each time Yukari rose to help, he was ordered to sit down again. _Quite fierce this morning, Sukuna…_ Yukari mused softly. _I wonder where he gets it from…_ A small shake of shoulders occurred as Yukari suppressed a laugh. He’d always had it, hadn’t he? 

Only a little later did plates finally meet the table. 

“Oh my.” Yukari stared at the surprisingly large plate. Blueberry, pecan pancakes were stacked with numerous chopped fruits along the sides. A messy, slightly-burnt set of eggs over easy rested next door. Glancing sideways, Yukari couldn’t help but notice another pan with something unserved in it. If he had to guess from the smell, Sukuna’d burnt it beyond recognition. 

“Try it,” Sukuna’s voice cut through Yukari’s thoughts, and he found the boy was staring at him, arms folded. Glancing back to the plate, Yukari slowly picked up a fork. 

Food met mouth, and Yukari paused. “….Not bad,” he finally smiled. “You did this all on your own, Sukuna?” 

Sukuna was beaming. “Yep! I woke up _early_ to get it done,” he replied triumphantly. “It’s _better_ than what you taught me.” 

“I see…” Yukari spoke quieter before taking a few more bites. Some of the pancakes weren’t cooked all the way through, but… “Good…” he hummed more to himself than Sukuna. 

In the end, the one who ate the most turned out to be Kotosaka. 

\--- 

It was only midmorning by the time Sukuna and Yukari had headed out onto the streets. After some fussing, Kotosaka was left at home. The air felt cool again, and the streets were slick with more rain. Sukuna was six paces ahead already and gaining distance every extra step he took. Yukari watched his back tighten slightly at each third step. If he’d been carrying a scythe, he could twist any which way he wanted with that gait. _Very strong…_ Yukari chuckled to himself. _Strong enough to live on your own for a while…_ Yukari had not forgotten Sukuna’s story. 

Soon enough they’d turn down different streets wordlessly. There was no point of shopping in front of the gift-getter, after all. Sukuna would be fine on his own. He always was. 

Passing the various shops and inlets, Yukari smiled. Sukuna’s birthday had all but just passed. He had all the games his little heart could want, so what else? _Perhaps I should have planned this better…_ A dry smirk came and went from Yukari’s features. Perhaps he should have remembered Christmas more fondly. 

\--- 

They met up again at noon, in a nice little corner café. Neither one carried any extra packages, but both wore content expressions. “Got all your shopping done?” Yukari mused softly. 

Sukuna shrugged, yet a grin persisted on his features. “Probably.” _Probably…_ Yukari chuckled to himself. 

They ordered inside but sat outside. The weather wasn’t bad for having rained so much. “We need to get food for bird-brain,” Sukuna commented offhandedly as he stabled at his food. 

“Hm?” Yukari raised an eyebrow. “You think he’d eat it after being so spoiled?” 

Sukuna didn’t say anything. Yukari shrugged. “Fine, we’ll pick him up something at least.” 

\--- 

They were pet store soon enough. Sukuna was ahead more than several paces, and when his hand hit the door, Yukari expected him to jerk it and step inside. Instead, he froze letting his hand drop and the door close. “Something wrong, Sukuna?” Reaching to clasp the door, Yukari pulled at it. Sukuna seized his arm. 

“Yukari,” Sukuna started but stopped. 

“ _What_?” Yukari let the door close again. 

Sukuna stared at him looking conflicted. Brown eyes swerved sideways into the store’s window after. Inside, passed the various display items and cages, a former red king and two cohort stood around a cage.

_Ah…how cute…_ A silly smirk twisted on Yukari’s features. “Let’s go in then, shall we.” Yukari mused. Twisting around Sukuna, Yukari started towards the door. Fingers tightened around his wrist, and Yukari glanced back teasingly. “What?”

“Yukari,” Sukuna was struggling.. “They’re-“ 

“I thought you liked the red king,” Yukari mused. Sukuna’s cheeks warmed, and Yukari smirked. “Didn’t you two have a couple of play dates over the past year?” 

“Yukari,” Sukuna was fighting for composure, but his voice all too easily revealed his heart. “Let’s just go. There’s another store and-“ 

“Come on, we’re just getting bird food.” Yukari gave a yank, and Sukuna’s hand broke free from his wrist. Pulling the door open again, Yukari started into the store. Sukuna’s footsteps followed. 

“Hey look at that one’s mark!” a loud life-filled voice barreled out into the air. The fire head that owned in was leaning over a ‘tank’ of rabbits precariously. 

“Looks like just a dot, Yata,” another voice came lower. A rotund man was leaned lower, pressing his gaze through the glass of the tank. 

A young woman whose back remained towards the door didn’t say anything for a moment before glancing back. Red eyes met brown ones, and Yukari smiled raising a hand in a wave. 

“Good afternoon, darling,” Yukari smiled. Anna’s eyes didn’t stay on him. Sukuna had moved behind him rather precariously and kept peeking out. “Sukuna, what _are_ you do-“ “

“HEY!” Yata’s gruff voice battered whatever words were supposed to come. Yukari’s attention shifted back again. “What’re you two doing here? Coming to start a fight?” Yata'd already shifted away from the tank and stepped in front of Anna. Kamamoto had straightened a bit. 

“Oh hardly,” Yukari replied. Sukuna shifted from behind him, standing at his side now. From the corner of his eye, Yukari caught that uncomfortable frown. “By chance we ended up coming here for parrot food,” Yukari continued. 

Yata scowled. “Oh really?” He demanded on only to stop as Anna reached out to touch his forearm. “Anna?” The girl shook her head, and Yata sighed. “If you’re sure,” Yata grumbled, yet his body language slacked. 

Yukari smiled. The level of trust between king and clansman had remained in tact even after the dissolving of the slate’s power. _How cute…_

Sukuna shifted around uncomfortably at his side only to suddenly take off down an aisle. Frowning as he watched, Yukari glanced back to Anna whose gaze remained on him. “My apologies for the disruption, darling,” Yukari mused softly. 

“It’s fine,” Anna replied, her voice quiet, controlled. After a moment, she turned back to the tank again. Her compatriots did much the same. 

Yukari turned and followed after Sukuna. By the time he’d caught up, Sukuna was aggressively pulling different bags of feed from the shelves. “These are all wrong…” were the frustrated mutters of the boy as he pushed aside another bag. 

“Sukuna,” Yukari started. Sukuna didn’t look at him but continued to mess with the bags. Yukari grabbed at Sukuna’s shoulder, twisting him around. “Sukuna.” 

“What?” Sukuna snapped frowning at him. 

“What was that all about, hm?” Sukuna didn’t meet his gaze. Yukari sighed. “Let me rephrase that, what did you do?” 

“Nothing.” 

“I thought you were at least becoming friends?”

“Well you were wrong ok!” A spark of something jumped into Sukuna’s gaze, and Yukari fell silent. _Apologies… I guess I didn’t notice…_ The words didn’t escape into the air. 

Glancing sideways, he stared at the various bags of feed instead. “Why are you taking apart the shelves?” 

Sukuna looked sideways heaving a small sigh. “None of them are balanced,” he stated flatly. 

“It’s not like Kotosaka eats balanced to begin wit-“ 

“I don’t want him to die early,” Sukuna’s voice cut in, and Yukari fell silent. “I want him to be healthy…” Two sighs hit the air seconds apart. Sukuna’s gaze didn’t divert from the shelves. Yukari’s, however, raised upward. 

“Did you check the ones up here?” Yukari spoke quieter. Silence made the answer obvious. “Maybe one of these then,” he mused. Reaching up, Yukari pulled the smaller bags of feed down, handing one at a time to Sukuna. 

Sukuna looked through the bags critically before finding one he seemed satisfied with. “This one’s fine,” he muttered softly haunting the procession. 

“Good,” Yukari returned the rest of the bags to their shelves. _Children make such messes…_ Yukari smiled to himself. 

Taking the bag to the register, Sukuna bought and paid for it himself. Yukari’s interest, however, had fluttered to the small red group finally leaving the store. Anna was one of the few around Sukuna’s his age, and somehow they’d become estranged? _Maybe I should have put him in public school_. Yukari fought the urge to bite his bottom lip. What a nasty habit. 

“Let’s go, Yukari,” Sukuna’s voice jingled Yukari back to reality, and turned back to find Sukuna staring. 

“Alright” 

\--- 

The trip home was a quiet one. Even when they finally stepped through the threshold to be greeted by a shrieking Kotosaka, neither one reacted immediately. It took a shake of head from Yukari to recapture his bearings whereas Sukuna just set the food down and went to his tv console. 

“Aren’t you at least going to give Kotosaka some _treats_?” Yukari tried. “You spent your own money and a-“ 

“We’re rich, Yukari,” Sukuna broke in dryly. “My money, your money, Nagare’s money, whatever…” 

Yukari took in a slow breath before turning to Kotosaka. Opening the bag, he pulled out a handful. A flat hand offered food, and Kotosaka chomped at it. “Yuck…” Kotosaka huffed. Yukari slowly laughed. 

\--- 

The days pealed by in a flurry. More items began to accumulate in the apartment over time. Even if they already had some lights, what were a few more? Why not a rug under the fake tree? Why not lights in it? Ornaments on it? A pile of presents slowly started to accumulate under it as well. They spent entirely too much on everything, but with money to burn, why not?

Christmas music started playing non-stop, whether from the PDA or the TV. A strange Christmas movie began airing roughly the same time each day, and all three would sit down and watch it. Someone always had some new commentary for it, mostly Kotosaka. He liked the strange grinch. Yukari and Sukuna agreed it was because he was green. 

It was nice. 

\--- 

It would be Christmas eve when they both sat down in the living room. A pile of decently baked cookies sat on the low table that Sukuna was leaned up against. Yukari sat back against their couch that Kotosaka perched on precariously just behind. “So I suppose we should see what’s in all those boxes,” Yukari hummed softly to himself. 

Sukuna sat upright and looked back. “Aren’t we supposed to wait till tomorrow or whatever?” He asked, an eyebrow raised. 

Yukari smiled. “Technically an eve is still Christmas, isn’t it?” He chuckled.

Sukuna rolled his eyes but smirked to himself. “If you want to,” he finally replied. 

“Open!” Kotosaka decided for them both, it seemed. 

Sukuna was first. Taking up the box with his name on it, he looked over it carefully before glancing back to Yukari and Kotosaka. “Can you guess what it is?” Yukari mused smoothly. 

“Probably a-“ Sukuna was already pulling apart the wrapping only to stop short on seeing what I was. “PJ’s???” He practically squeaked. A chuckle expelled itself from Yukari, but it was Kotosaka who shriek laughed. “Really?” Sukuna sighed softly. 

“You’re starting to wear out what you have,” Yukari mused softly. “And they’re cute aren’t they?” Sukuna’s features warmed, and he looked back at the pink cat-print shirt and pants. 

“…Thanks Yukari…” Sukuna finally mumbled. Yukari blinked before smiling. 

“Welcome.” 

The next box was Yukari’s, and he couldn’t help but notice a smirk on Sukuna’s face as the boy handed it over. _Ah?_ Slowly undoing the wrapping as not to tear it (or his nails), he blinked a couple of times at the box under it. 

“…How thoughtful, Sukuna,” were the words right out of the gate.

Dolls…Multi-hair colored dolls… In all types of facial expressions. 

“You can put make up on them too,” Sukuna grinned a clearly slightly mocking tone. Yukari slowly smiled. It seemed they thought more alike than either realized. 

The presents that came after ranged from heart felt to trollish. As the last of those finally disappeared from under the tree, Yukari slowly stretched back. “Well… I suppose I have one last present for you…” he spoke a bit quieter. 

“Me too…” Sukuna replied. 

Brown eyes met green ones. Green eyes held brown ones. 

“Maybe we should open ours together then,” Yukari mused. Sukuna slowly nodded. Both got up and retreated to their respective rooms only to come back each with a long box in hand. Staring at each other, they exchanged presents. 

Wrapping came off slowly, carefully. Green eyes grew. Brown eyes grew. Both rose to meet each other’s. 

“I suppose we had too similar thoughts…” Yukari finally spoke, feeling over the handle of the short sword now in his grip. 

“Maybe we should try them out,” Sukuna slowly grinned, gripping tight to the longsword in his own hands. 

\--- 

A few more words were spoken, but aside from that, nothing needed to be said. They walked out. Kotosaka rested on Yukari’s shoulder as they left. A Christmas battle truly was fitting for them, wasn’t it? Yukari smirked to himself. And here, he’d disliked Christmas up till then. 

A high discrete rooftop was their destination, one overlooking their former home’s entrance no less. Nostalgia was such a bitter sweet thing at times. Kotosaka was set carefully on a crate a distance away. He was still healing, after all. 

Yukari turned, finding Sukuna already at his place. It seemed even the weight of the new sword hardly fazed him. _You do have a talent, Sukuna…_ A talent few could use in the boring ways of today, but a talent none the less. 

Yukari shifted, slowly feeling the muscles in his body align. The sword in his hand was tiny by comparison to Ayamachi, light, wistful. A small smile came to Yukari’s features. “Did it come with a name, Sukuna?” He asked after a moment. 

Sukuna’s eyes held Yukari’s, and a small grin came to his features. “Shiran.” 

Yukari smirked. “A purple flower, how appropriate,” he mused softly. “Yours has no name, name it yourself!” 

Sukuna only nodded. Shifting slowly into position, Yukari grinned. 

\--- 

Blades clanked. Sukuna swiped. Yukari dodged. Yukari swiped, Sukuna dodged. Each motion, each step, one gained ground, the other lost but only for a short period of time. It was a dance, the truest form of _their_ dance. Some warriors were trimmed and pruned into beauty, but someone were _born_ beautiful, wild, free. 

“Yukari,” Sukuna’s voice hit his ears. Green eyes held brown ones intently. 

Yukari smiled. “Not bad, Sukuna.” A swipe, a dodge. Clank of longsword on short. 

“Let’s make a deal.” 

“Amid battle? How pretty.” 

Steel and steel hissed. 

“If I win, you’re not allowed to go on any more dates unless I say so,” Sukuna’s voice came in short bursts as swipes sizzled the air. 

“Oh?” Yukari laughed. “Is that all?” _Acting like a king, how childish…_ “And what if I win?” 

“I’ll tell you whatever you wanna know.” 

“Oh my, my sounds like truth or dare,” Yukari laughed. “Fine by me, but I don’t intend to lose.” 

A leap forward, a slash sideways, Sukuna was as fast if not faster than always. Yukari smirked blocking the blow. Even with a shorter sword, his range control had always been top notch. Very few had ever broken that sword barrier, and Sukuna wasn’t there yet. 

Metal clanked, and Yukari laughed. “Come now, Sukuna, are you getting rusty?” 

“It’s not a scythe ok!” Sukuna hissed.

“As if that ever stopped you before!” 

“Shut up, Yukari!” Sukuna took a hard step, and Yukari smirked. Twisting the blunt of the blade around, he cracked it right against Sukuna’s other knee. The boy dropped. 

“If I’d used the sharp side, you wouldn’t have a leg anymore,” Yukari mused softly. _If I were being serious you would have lost your life…_ Those words didn’t get said. 

Sukuna’s gaze didn’t stay down for long. Green eyes raised to brown ones, fiercer. “ ‘M not gonna lose,” Sukuna insisted shoving himself into a standing position once more. 

Yukari stared for a moment before slowly smiling “Good.” 

Blades cracked back and forth, whispering, bickering, laughing. It’d been far too long since they’d sparred. 

_You’re strong._

_I know._

_You’ll be able to handle anything._

_We will._

_‘We’?_

_You and me. We’re family. Don’t forget that._

_I see._

Unspoken words, unspoken feelings, yet both could understand. There was no use in being alone, no beauty in silence, no grace in solitude. There never had and never would be. Nagare had been the last change, and Yukari supposed it was time to change again. 

\--- 

Clank. 

Yukari’s pupils shrank. His arm froze, half raised. He didn’t move, didn’t breathe. The tip of a longsword was set at his neck. Sukuna stared up at him, a hard fire in his eyes. Slowly, Yukari’s arm lowered all together. “Ah…I must be losing my touch…” Soft words escaped into the air. _Or perhaps your feelings are more solid than mine…._ Hadn’t he told Kuroh to fill himself? How funny. How terrible. 

Sukuna was panting, but the blade in his hands didn’t waiver. “I got you…” he finally spoke. Yukari smiled. _You do…_

“Fine… I suppose I won’t date for a while…” Yukari slowly smiled. 

“Not unless I say it’s ok…” Sukuna growled. Yukari laughed. _How serious…_ When had he become so serious? So steeled? Sukuna was something else. 

“Alright… alright…. You’ve made your… point..” Yukari’s hand slowly reached up, clasping the blade for a moment before letting Sukuna pull it away. 

A strange laugh expelled form him only to be melded with a laugh of Sukuna's own. “What a pretty Christmas…” 

“Yukari …” Sukuna’s voice came slowly. “You’re ridiculous.” 

Yukari laughed. He supposed that was true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> '_' A little different from what I'm used to stylistically speaking, but Yukari's got a different mind I figure. Also if you can guess what the numbers in the code are and/or what the name of the blade means, you get a cookie. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	4. Uprooted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're on the run again.

_No…_

Green eyes widened. Pupils shrank. _No…No…No…_ Hard thuds screamed in his ears. _No! No! NO!_

Fingers trembled as one screen flipped to the next. A choice swear word hit the air, and Sukuna jerked up, scrambling against bedsheets to slam feet on the floor. Feet met a console. Sukuna tripped, catching himself on the desk table only to pull himself to it. 

“No… it’s not real. It’s not…” Sukuna breathed loudly. Fingers flew over the keyboard spastically, awakening the computer. “They couldn’t have… they….” Guttering noises poured from his lips down. 

A fist slammed down on the table, and another bashed a side wall. “No fucking way!” Sukuna snarled. He stood, twisted, and tripped over another toy. Another series of choice swear words rattled in the air. 

“YUKARI!” Sukuna all but collided with the door. Fingers seized and twisted the handle, wrenching it open. “YUKARI!” Sukuna collapsed into the living room. Twisting himself around, he stood. “YUKARI WHERE ARE Yo-“ Sukuna stopped upon finding the man in the kitchen, nursing an entire pot of coffee for himself. “YUKARI!” 

“What?” Yukari hissed. Sukuna didn’t have time to guess what his problem was. 

“We have a problem!” A _major_ problem!” Words spilled out over each other. 

“Yes, I know-“ Yukari started. “You’re being lou-“ 

“JUNGLE’s _gone_! It’s _completely gone!_ Our apps are _gone_ and our codes are _gone_ and everything’s _gone_.” Sukuna talked over him, his voice shrill and shaking. “How can it just be gone? I maintained the bare bone code! I did everything Nagare did! It’s _gone_! Yukari it’s _gone_!” Sukuna was shrieking by the end of it. Liquid glistened at the corners of his eyes. 

“Enough,” Yukari spoke low,. 

“Yukari,” Sukuna’s voice came quieter. Did he already know? Was he already doing something? He had to have! He had to be doing or planning or- 

Yukari looked upward slowly, and Sukuna froze. There were bags under his eyes, and his face was blanched. Was he sick? “It was bound to happen sooner or later…” Yukari commented. “We’re going to have to move soon and-“

“ _Yukari_ ,” Sukuna’s voice cut in of its own accord. Yukari scowled. Sukuna bit his lip. 

“What?” 

“Our _bank accounts_ are gone.” 

For a moment, silence fell. Yukari stared at him, and Sukuna stared back. Finally, Yukari grimaced twisting away from him to pop his back. “Well … that’s unfortunate.” The words flowed seamlessly, tiredly. “Even the bit coin accounts?” 

Sukuna bit his lip harder. “All of them- _everything’s gone_.” 

Yukari took a slow breath. Sukuna didn’t. “We’ll assume it was the Blue clan for now,” Yukari mused. “Considering they have been our major hunters up till now.” The chair shifted backwards, and Yukari stood up. Sukuna backed up allowing him to pass with coffee pot in hand. “Fighting them across the internet without Nagare’s power was always a losing battle, anyways.”

A grimace pealed across Sukuna’s features. Yukari didn’t look at him. “They’re probably not going to come bursting through our door the instant, though.” Yukari carried the coffee pot to the warmer and set it down. “But we do need to prepare. Pack what you want; we’re leaving the rest.” 

Kotosaka shrieked from his place on the couch. Sukuna stood up shakily. 

\--- 

Sukuna couldn’t stop trembling. His knees twitched even in a curled position. His chest clenched in an upright position. His hands shook as they snatched up items trying to decide what to leave and what to take. 

_Those damn…damn….damn…. Blue dogs…_ His pulse screamed. _Why now? After months of distance why close in…why this…_ Biting the hem of his lip, Sukuna tasted blood. _Like some damn New Year’s celebration…_ Damn it. Damn _them_. A fist formed and slammed against the wall. 

“Damn it!” Sukuna breathed fighting the burn of tears. 

How could Yukari be so calm? _How could Yukari be so calm?_ How could he just stare at him and say they were leaving, just like that? Didn’t he have more stuff than him? Didn’t he's have more to lose? 

Sukuna froze. 

For a moment, his hands stopped shaking. For a moment, his pulse stopped quaking. _Yeah…_

They’d both lost already. 

They were just running now. 

When had he ever thought he could have a peaceful life anyways? 

Green eyes raised regarding each corner of his room. There wasn’t anything there that he couldn’t bear to part with, not really. Nothing belonged to his old home. Nothing belonged to _their_ old home. Nothing was _that_ important. It never would be. 

Glancing down at the numerous games he’d shoved into his backpack, Sukuna smirked. The bag turned upside down, and the games poured out. 

Only the most expensive, rare, and valuable would be re-zipped up in that bag. He could sell them if they needed money. The only exception would be the birthday pokemon game. 

A knock on the door had Sukuna jolting slightly. “What?” He snapped. Yukari was already stepping in. Sukuna glanced sideways only to find an unreadable expression on Yukari’s features. He looked sicker than before. 

“Are you ready?” Yukari asked, his voice muted yet somehow pleasant. 

Sukuna frowned zipping his bag. “Yeah, any idea where we’re going?” 

“Yes, I have a place in mind.” Yukari answered stepping back out of the archway. 

“Yukari?” Sukuna started.

Yukari stepped back in, offering a small smile. “Yes?” 

Sukuna glanced away. “Never mind… let’s just go…” 

\--- 

Yukari carried one bag and one ‘cello case’. Sukuna had one bag and one ‘flute case’. Kotosaka carried a small bag around his neck. 

Everything else would be left behind. That was the way it had to be. 

\--- 

The train ride was going to be long. Sukuna could tell by bills Yukari unfolded and pushed over to the teller. Either that, or Yukari was bribing the woman to let a bird on the train. A temporary train card was handed to him, and he used it to slip through the gates as he followed after Yukari. 

The train they boarded was unfamiliar. Sukuna's eyes bounced around taking in it. People got on. People got off. He and Yukari sat side by side not moving. Kotosaka slept above them, snoring softly. 

Sometimes, green eyes would find Yukari. Brown eyes didn’t look back, however. His gaze held straight ahead and had the cloudy look of someone thinking about distant things. Sukuna could only guess it was plans for where they were headed next. 

\--- 

_“Hey kid don’t sleep-“_

“Hey-“ A hand set on his shoulder, and Sukuna jolted. “We’re here.” Yukari spoke quietly, offering a smile. Sukuna wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. 

“Right.” Right. He was traveling with Yukari. The train car was empty now. 

_Where are we?_ Sukuna shouldered his bag and case. Yukari had already risen with Kotosaka at his shoulder and was several steps towards the exit. 

“Hey! Wait up!” 

A few quick steps had Sukuna in line with Yukari again. They stepped off the train together.

Yukari stared forward. The distant look in his eyes had bled out onto his face. Sukuna frowned staring at his profile. A brown eye slid sideways, and green eyes retreated. 

“What’s your deal…?” Sukuna breathed. “ ‘S not like we haven’t run before….” The words tasted like lie. Sukuna chewed the inside of his mouth. 

“Sorry… I’m just thinking about some things,” Yukari’s mused, attempting a sing-song tone. 

Sukuna winced and stared downed. “Oh…” Well, they _had_ been in that apartment for a while. Maybe Yukari had settled too. Maybe this was just as… jarring. 

“Brat!” Kotosaka chirped causing Sukuna to exhale loudly. A small chuckle came and went from Yukari. 

Gaze held on the ground, Sukuna soon noticed they were walking on dirt. It wasn’t even a real road. His eyes raised again but were swallowed up in the wild green rolling hills and outstretched trees that came after. Looking back towards the train stop, he realized it wasn’t even partially indoors. The rural wood wouldn’t even offer decent shelter in the rain. “Where are we?” 

“A safe place,” a note in Yukari’s voice caused Sukuna to shiver. 

“Yukari.” What did he even want to say?

“Save your energy; we still have quite a distance to cover.”

The road looked like it stretched for miles. 

“Ok.” 

\--- 

Evening struck by the time the lights of a small village caught Sukuna’s eyes. _That_ was where they were going? After so much riding and walking, Yukari was taking him to the literal _middle of nowhere?_ Sukuna groaned audibly. 

There wasn’t going to be a lick of wifi. 

A chuckle had Sukuna glancing sideways. Yukari was staring at him. For the first time in hours, the brooding expression on his face had changed. A stranger smile stood instead. 

“Yukari,” Sukuna glowered. “We’re in the middle of nowhere.” A hum and a laugh had Sukuna grimacing. “I doubt we even get satellite connections out here!” It wasn’t that he needed it but- 

“We won’t,” Yukari replied simply. “That’s the point.” For a moment, Yukari’s features became more serious. “Kotosaka, would you be a dear and go scout out the place?” 

All too suddenly Kotosaka jumped from Yukari’s shoulder taking to the sky loudly. Green eyes watched the bird struggle to climb higher and higher before finally leveling off to circle towards the town. 

_His wing hasn’t completely healed…_ Sukuna glanced sideways. “Ya think it might be Blue infested already?” What other reason could there be? 

“Walking carefully  
Upon this threatening ground  
Tread with special care” 

Sukuna stopped walking. Yukari stopped a pace after. Glancing back, Yukari offered a smile. “Something wrong?” 

“You haven’t used haikus in a while,” Sukuna frowned. 

“I haven’t?” Yukari asked briefly before humming. “I suppose it’s nostalgia.” 

A snort escaped from Sukuna. “You’ve been around here before?” 

“Yes, I lived in the area for quite some time.” 

Green eyes met brown ones. Silence fell. Both kept walking. 

“Your master’s place is around here somewhere, huh?” Sukuna finally asked letting his gaze fall forward. 

“Former, yes.” 

“Oh….” 

\--- 

By the time they’d reached the village, the last rays of the sun were escaping from the town. Kotosaka finally dropped down to report a lack of suspicion, and they moved in. 

Unlike the other roads, the main street that lead through the town was partially paved. The clatter of shoes on rock jerked Sukuna back to alertness, and his gaze flicked everywhere and nowhere at once. 

It was a small village, only a couple of buildings in various states of decay and what looked to be one market area. _Why would anyone live here?_ Sukuna made a face. This was going to be their hide out. This was going to _suck_. 

_“Is that Mishakuji?”_ Sukuna blinked. 

_“Mishakuji Yukari?”_ Green eyes flashed around looking for the source. 

_“It looks like ‘im.”_

He found them. A group of adults stood at the corner of the street. Two women and a man kept shooting glances. They spoke quieter as they approached. 

_“He never changes does he?”_

_“The parrot and the kid are new.”_

Green eyes shot to Yukari, and a grimace pealed Sukuna’s features. Yukari’s smile had heightened to something grotesquely fake. Ew…. _Those kind of people huh…_

Yukari didn’t glance sideways, didn’t even miss a step. Sukuna scowled. He had heard them, hadn’t he? They were going to _destroy_ them weren’t they? Sukuna’s gaze shot forward threateningly. A woman accidentally caught his eye and glanced away quickly. 

“Yukari?” They were walking up to slaughter them, weren’t they? 

Yukari’s hand met his back, and Sukuna straightened. Green eyes flashed sideways. Yukari didn’t even give him a glance. 

“Yukari?” 

“Who’s that?” Another voice, another person, had joined in. 

“Mishakuji Yukari, can’t believe he’s back.” 

Sukuna’s lips trembled, a series of hard, cruel, questioning words forming fast. The hand at his back, however, shifted up and around pulling him closer before sealing around his mouth. Yukari walked faster. Sukuna walked faster. They walked fast passed the group. _What the fuck just happened?_

“What’s he doing with a kid?” 

“What’s he doing to the kid?” 

“What’s he doing _back?_ ”

Sukuna’s eyes couldn’t keep track of who said what. The voices were all the same. 

More people were appearing, stepping out of their homes and businesses, seeping out like water from a leak. Even from behind, Sukuna could feel their prying eyes. 

“You think it’s his?” 

“Maybe it’s a kidnapped child.” 

“Should we call someone?” 

“Who would we call?” 

Sukuna’s hand pulled at Yukari’s fingers. “Yu’ri, l’t go…” came the muffled complaints. Yukari didn’t. Sukuna was all but carted up the steps of the inn. 

“MISHAKUJI!” A voice shouted. Yukari stopped walking just before the entrance. The hand lessened its grip, and Sukuna breathed heavily before glancing over his shoulder. 

“Mishakuji Yukari how dare you come back!” A man wearing weight in the same way some wore age stood just behind them trying to catch his breath. Hard angry, eyes bore a violent expression. Sukuna snorted. What the hell did a pig want? 

A subtle shift in Yukari’s stance, however, had Kotosaka taking to the air immediately. “Dead!” Was the parrot’s call. 

“Ah, I don’t seem to recall that we’ve met?” Yukari’s sing-song voice came, and swiftly Sukuna found himself turned around to face the man. Yukari’s eyes had found a mark. 

“Why are you here, you…you….?” The man’s voice grew progressively smaller. Sukuna’s gaze glanced upward to find a more familiar look in Yukari’s eyes. The manic bloodlust that came with fighting someone ‘interesting’ made Sukuna shiver. The pig wasn’t worth that, was he? 

“Yukari…” Sukuna started but wouldn’t finish.

“The rat that decides  
To meddle with the affairs  
Of the wolf deserves…” 

A silence held for a moment. The man took a step back. Sukuna grinned toothily. “Death,” Kotosaka shrieked from above. The man fidgeted, turned, and started walking away. 

A harsh laugh broke from Sukuna. _Look at the pig go!_

The rise and fall of Yukari's chest, however, pulled Sukuna back. Glancing up, green eyes found paler features tinged with something unreadable. Sukuna grimaced. Yukari glanced down only briefly before smiling. 

\--- 

They were inside now. Yukari dealt with the innkeeper and ushered Sukuna and Kotosaka upstairs quickly after. Then he left again. Sukuna would wait a while before the door to their room finally swung inward again. Yukari came forward, a bag of groceries in hand. 

“Yukari…” Sukuna sat up from the bed he’d been dozing on. “What’s with these idiots?” _Why didn’t we cut them to pieces?_

“Villagers,” Yukari corrected setting the bag on the bed and walking over to lower himself into a desk chair. “Only one bed in this room?” He asked eyeballing it. 

“What was _up_ with them…” Sukuna continued. 

“Ah, my makeup is a bit mes-“ Yukari leaned forward in the chair staring into a mirror. Sukuna watched the reflection get closer and pull down an eye-lid. 

“What’s with this place?” Yukari _was_ going to answer him, damn it. A strange laugh escaped from Yukari. Sukuna frowned.“That thing with the pig earlier and...” Sukuna stopped as he looked up. 

Yukari’s reflection in the mirror ached. 

_He’s…weak_. 

“Yukari!” Kotosaka’s voice caused them both to jolt as the parrot sprung from a perch on a shelf to the desk in front of Yukari. Yukari reached forward to brush a few fingers against plumage. The parrot in turn made a cooing sound. 

Sukuna stood. 

“Yukari…” Sukuna’s hands set on the back of the chair. Green eyes met darkened brown ones in the mirror. A shiver pulled at his form. Sukuna slid forward letting his arms wrap around Yukari’s shoulders and settle in the front. He could feel the slamming in Yukari’s chest again. 

“Ah, must be that bad if I get a hug out of it,” Yukari’s voice held that sing-song quality again.

Green eyes stared downward at nothing. “What’d these people do?” _I’ll kill them._

No words were spoken. Kotosaka clacked on the desk a couple times impatiently. 

Yukari’s shoulders shook. Whether it was a laugh or a cry, Sukuna wouldn't know. 

“You’re a brat…” Yukari mused. Sukuna’s arms tightened threatening to choke him. Yukari’s hand reached up and clasped one forearm. “I was a brat once too. That’s all.” 

Kotosaka hummed a soft tune.

\--- 

That night they climbed up onto the inn roof. Yukari suggested it; Sukuna followed. Kotosaka, the lazy bird, feigned sleep. 

They both rested less than a meter apart, gazes caught in the light of the heavens. The brightness of the stars was far away. The darkness that shrouded was close. Even when Sukuna glanced sideways, only Yukari’s curled outline stood out. 

“Miwa Ichigen, my master- your _grand_ master- took in a degenerate,” Yukari’s voice made Sukuna jump. 

“Yeah?” 

Yukari hummed. 

“By the time I met him, I was an uncute monster. No love, no desire, no anger, no hatred, I could have killed without feeling a thing…” A sharp sound escaped from Sukuna. Yukari laughed. “Master Ichigen restored feeling to me and gave me freedom. Just enough pruning to grow again.” 

_Freedom…_ An image of Nagare flashed through Sukuna’s mind, and briefly, his eyes watered. “And?” He reached to rub his eyes before Yukari noticed. 

“My very first feeling was anger,” Yukari’s voice dulled some, growing soft. “A seething rage at this world and everything in it.” The roof creaked. 

Sukuna glanced downward. Only a few lights remained in the town. “You fought a bunch of people, huh?” came the soft words. The children of the town became the adults who never forgot. 

“Bingo, two hundred points for you,” Yukari’s voice bounced. Sukuna flinched. “Master Ichigen hoped to teach me ways to control it before it controlled me, but… I’ll admit I never was the best student.” Yukari went on, the sing-song tone arising again. 

“I’m better,” Sukuna snorted briefly straightening. 

“Yes,” Yukari mused. “Though Kuroh has us both beat.” 

Dark color warmed Sukuna’s features. “Who cares about him?!” 

Yukari laughed. “The Silver king, now.” 

Sukuna’s lips twitched. “Good for him.” He didn’t want to see _them_ ever again. 

“Yes,” Yukari whispered into the darkness. 

Sukuna stared upward. “Do you really want to stay here?” He didn’t. 

A laugh escaped from Yukari. Sukuna glanced sideways. “We still have ways to go up the mountain, Sukuna.” 

A choice swear word hit the air. “Why?” 

Yukari just laughed. 

\--- 

The mountain road was even more unstable than the dirt one. Rocks flew up. Cracks made him stumble. Sukuna hated it. Yukari walked it with ease, somehow. Kotosaka got a shoulder ride. He hated them too. _Ugh damn long legs…_

But Yukari looked even more pale than the day before. The darkness under his eyes was more noticeable too. Sukuna’s lips pressed together as he struggled not to bite them. Was he getting sick? Yukari didn’t get sick. 

“Truth or dare?” Sukuna’s voice came forward as he glanced up the road. 

He could feel Yukari’s eyes on him briefly. “I believe it’s my turn to ask, isn’t it?” Yukari chuckled. 

_Ugh was it?_ Sukuna sighed. 

“Truth or dare, Sukuna?” Sukuna stopped walking. Yukari stopped walking. Green eyes held brown ones, hard. A dare on the mountainside wasn’t _safe_ knowing Yukari. Sukuna glanced forward again. “Fine, truth.” 

A chuckle broke from Yukari, and Sukuna knew he chose wrong. “Tell me, what happened between you and the cute red king,” Yukari mused. Sukuna couldn’t stop his hand from slapping himself. _Should have known._

“Are you kidding me?” Sukuna already knew he wasn’t. 

“You can chicken out, remember…” Yukari's voice hummed. “But you know the consequences.” 

_Ugh._

“Tell! Tell!!” Kotosaka’s voice cut in causing Sukuna to fidget. Green eyes flashed dangerously to parrot. _Bird soup._ He bet he could catch him even if he could fly now. 

“Fine,” Sukuna growled softly glancing forward again. “You… already know about the first time I met her…” he started to walk again only to stumble. Yukari’s hand shot to brace his shoulder, but the condescending laugh that hit the air had Sukuna swatting it away. 

“But you met her again anyways,” Yukari reminded him. Sukuna stepped sideways elbowing him in the ribs. “Och.” 

“More like ran into her…” Sukuna corrected. 

“Same difference,” Yukari chuckled rubbing his side. Sukuna winced on realizing he’d probably hit the wound, now a scar, from a month back. 

“Well… this last time…I…she,” Sukuna paused. His pulse slammed in his ears. A hand reached up to compress one side of his neck to steady it. “Said something that sounded… like Nagare…” Sukuna stared downward. Heat was already boiling over his features. “And I…” 

“Did you kiss her?” Yukari jeered. 

Sukuna’s eyes shot upward. “What the hell Yukari?” 

Yukari chuckled. “I’ll take that as a no.” 

“I…I…” Sukuna let his gaze drop again. “I cried…” His cheeks burned now. “It …. It was just…she was just…and I….” His voice was small, barely over a whisper. 

Yukari stopped walking again. Sukuna stopped walking. Glancing sideways, Sukuna didn’t have time to react to the hard flick that hit his forehead. “OW,” another choice swear word escaped into the air. 

“Is that all?” Yukari asked. 

“What do you mean is that all?” Sukuna snarled. 

“Was that what made you so afraid of her in the store?” 

“I wasn’t afraid of her! I was…” 

Yukari was laughing now- hard. _Kotosaka was laughing_. Sukuna’s features burned. “Is that enough?” He barked lowering his gaze again. His knuckles blanched in a fist. 

“Fine, fine…” Yukari mused waving a hand in the air and walking with a higher step now. “And here I thought it was so much worse.” Yukari was _singing_ now. Sukuna groaned increasing his steps to keep up. 

“Truth or dare, Yukari!” 

“Dare.” 

Sukuna frowned. He’d been expecting truth. Green eyes held pale features for a moment. 

“Dare you to carry me the rest of the way.” The words hit the air before Sukuna could stop them.

“Like a child?” Sukuna grimaced. Yukari was _grinning_ that gross grin again. “Well I suppose you are a child. C’mere…”

“No way!” Sukuna swatted a hand away. “You look sick!” 

Yukari froze. Sukuna winced. “I mean… you look ill… I don’t want your cold or something….” Yukari slowly smiled. Sukuna looked away. “Are you ok?” His voice sounded small. He wanted to smack it. 

“I’ll be fine,” Yukari mused. “I just didn’t have time to put make up on this morning”

An inhuman laugh broke from Sukuna’s throat. “Guess we did leave pretty early huh?” He jeered. No _wonder_ Yukari looked like hell. 

A strange half-laugh escaped from Yukari too. “You were up very early.” 

“Couldn’t help you swatting my face.” 

“Couldn’t help you squirming around.” 

Both laughed. 

“Did you still want that piggyback ride?” Yukari grinned. 

Sukuna shrugged, eyes averted. “Yeah….I guess?” 

He didn’t expect Yukari to pick him up and start jogging. 

Damn it. 

Was that even a piggy back ride? 

\--- 

Yukari set him down a half hour later. They ate briefly before continuing up the slippery slopes. Only by midmorning did a single story house finally come into view. “Finally,” Yukari’s voice made a green eye flick sideways at him momentarily. 

Sukuna’s gaze flicked forward again. Brow logs, wooden windows, the house wasn’t impressive at all. _It better have at least electricity and running water._ From the looks of it, Sukuna doubted it. Gritting his teeth, he walked faster. “Hurry _up_ Yukari!” 

He stood at the entrance for almost a solid minute before Yukari finally closed the distance. By the time he could see the detail of Yukari's features, though, Sukuna wished he couldn’t. Green eyes flicked to the door. “Hurry up,” he huffed. 

“Children are so antsy,” Yukari mused fishing a metal key from his pocket. 

Sukuna shrugged his shoulders, keeping his eyes on the door. “I’m just tired of walkin’.” 

“Maybe you should take a nap,” Yukari chuckled. Metal on mental clanked twice before the key finally hit the lock correctly. 

“I’m not a _baby_ ,” Sukuna snarled, stomping passed the threshold first. 

The interior was dark. What little light pushed passed the blinds only glistened off white sheets that outlined furniture. The floorboards creaked underfoot. Sukuna winced. 

Abruptly, Kotosaka shrieked, and the flapping of wings barraged Sukuna’s ears as the bird climbed up into the rafters. A hiss escaped from Sukuna. “Stupid bird.” He wasn’t scared- or anything. 

Carefully navigating over to one of the windows, Sukuna grabbed at the long black drapes pulling them back and sideways. Instantly the room flooded with light. Sukuna winced again. “Damn how long has this-“ Sukuna stopped.

“Yukari?” Green eyes flashed over the front room, the kitchen area, then grazed down the hallway towards the bedrooms. Sukuna frowned. “Did ya see where he went?” Eyes raised to Kotosaka who only whistled a tune. “Stupid bird…” Sukuna muttered lowering his gaze again. He had come in with them, hadn’t he? 

Floorboards creaked as Sukuna ebbed down the hallway.

…. 

….

….

He could hear it.

Muffled sounds pushed passed the first bedroom door. Human noises. All too _human_. 

Sukuna could guess it was the master bedroom. The adjacent door folded toward the front of the house and couldn’t be that big. 

Teeth met bottom lip as Sukuna stepped closer. The floorboards creaked, and the sound stopped for a moment. Sukuna winced. A hand reached out for the handle only for it to swing inward immediately. 

Yukari stepped forward. Sukuna stepped back. Brown eyes met green ones, and Sukuna’s breath caught. 

“Ah, Sukuna.” A vague expression on Yukari’s features warmed into a smile. “Did you open the windows?” That fake melodic tune was back. 

Sukuna glanced sideways. “Yeah,” he lied, green eyes shooting down the hall. “What’re you doing?” 

He wouldn’t receive an answer. A hand met the top of his head instead, and grey hair was ruffled briefly before Yukari walked on. “Let’s get to cleaning this place up!” Yukari sang loudly. “Then we’ll settle in.” 

“Ugh, Yukari.” _Great. More work._

\--- 

They cleaned- a lot. 

Yukari wanted everything spotless. Sukuna wanted to hit him. 

He’d been right, though. The room Yukari had been in was the master bedroom. It had the workings of a box spring bed but no mattress. It also had a simple, nightstand, drawer, and vanity set. 

The other room was smaller with only set of bunkbeds and a chest of drawers. At least the bunkbeds had accompanying mattresses. 

The living room had a couch, a tatami mat, and a low low sitting table. Sukuna glared at the lack of TV. 

The kitchen was small. The oven and stove required firewood. It was like they’d gone back in time. 

_Gross_. 

By the time everything had been dusted over, cleaned out, and shined to Yukari’s standards, Sukuna’s head hurt. 

A nap on the couch sounded good. 

\--- 

When he came to again, Sukuna found couch wasn’t comfortable after all. 

“Yukari!” Sukuna’s voice came out in a whine. “We got some food left?” The lack of an answer had him shifting on the couch. “Yukari?” Folding over the back of it, he stared into the kitchen area. He could have sworn that he was just there, messing with pots and pans. 

“Brat,” Kotosaka’s voice came softer than usual. Sukuna glanced upward to glare at him. 

“What?” 

“Yukari.” Kotosaka’s tone made Sukuna wince. It held that deeper, almost Nagareian sound to it that unexpectedly stung. 

“What’s wrong?” Sukuna struggled up from the couch, limbs like jelly. 

Kotosaka’s head jerked sideways to the hallway. Sukuna followed the line of sight only to frown. _Again?_

The floorboards creaked as Sukuna closed the distance. That sound was back again, and for a moment, he hesitated, hand at the doorknob. A sharp breath drew in before Sukuna twisted and shoved it inward. “Yukari?” 

“Go back to bed, Kuroh.” 

Sukuna froze. Yukari’s back was to him, hunched slightly. 

“Yukari?” Lips moved again. 

Yukari’s back straightened. He shifted and looked back over his shoulder. “Ah.” Sukuna exhaled a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. “Sorry …” Yukari humming now. A playful smile held his features. “Children all sound alike.” 

Sukuna didn’t know whether he believed it or not. Yukari’s features were porcelain. Not even his lips had color. “You look sick,” the words fell out before Sukuna could stop them. 

“All the hard work,” Yukari chuckled standing up quickly. He swayed briefly causing Sukuna to tense. A hand caught the dresser, however, and he stretched off it. 

“You should lay down, now.” Sukuna felt the order in his own tone. He couldn’t help it now. It was too _visible_ now. 

“I’ll be fine,” Yukari mused reaching up to wave words out of the air. “Just a little tired.” 

“Then _lay down_.” 

Yukari smiled. Sukuna frowned. Closing the distance between the two of them, Sukuna reached for Yukari’s wrist. Fingers grasped around it, but as Sukuna went to pull, Yukari’s body hit him like a toppling building. A choice swear word hit the air. 

_Hot._

He could feel it now. 

Yukari was burning up. 

“You-ugh Yukari….” Sukuna squirmed shifting Yukari off him and sitting up. 

Yukari was chuckling even as he rolled sideways. “Sorry Kuroh,” came the sing-song words. “Guess I’m a bit drunk.” 

_Drunk?_ Sukuna grimaced. 

“Yukari, you’re _sick_ ,” Sukuna frowned shifting up to a standing position. 

Yukari laughed. “That too.” 

\--- 

Yukari was heavy, really heavy. The fact he offered no help made pulling him up worse. “Yu-car-ee,” Sukuna hissed trying to shift him around to pull him up. Yukari laughed at briefly swatted at him. “We need to get you to bed…” 

“I’m fine,” Yukari chuckled. “Just need to rest my eyes.” 

“Not on the damn floor…” 

Push and pull, Sukuna managed to get Yukari into the lower bunk bed. _Curse_ the master bed for not having a _mattress_. He wasn’t going to _deal_ with Yukari whining later about being sore or whatever. 

\---

Even being the larger of the two bunks, the bed was too short for Yukari. Putting him at an angle sort of worked, but he _squirmed so damn much_ trying to get comfortable it didn’t do a thing. 

Now staring down at Yukari’s form curled sideways towards him, Sukuna bit his lip. _What now?_

“It’s so hot…” Yukari’s voice sounded coarse. 

Sukuna straightened. “I’ll get you some water.” _And maybe a cool towel._ Iwa’d set one on his forehead before. It had helped, right? It… it’d work. 

“Whatever,” Yukari dismissed rolling over and pulling the pillow over his head. 

_Great_. Of course Yukari. Of course. 

\---

The facet pump was difficult. The angle of the leaver and the needed motion made Sukuna’s shoulder twitch on every pump. He filled a round bottom cup from the cupboard with some water. Then he filled the pail he’d found under the sink. A couple towels were thrown in. 

He set the pale down at the side of the bunkbed. It sloshed briefly causing Yukari to stir. 

“Yukari,” Sukuna turned holding the cup over the bed. “You need to drink.” 

“Go away,” Yukari’s voice croaked as he curled back to Sukuna. 

“You need to drink something,” Sukuna insisted. 

“I don’t feel good.” 

“Duh, Yukari,” Sukuna snapped. A hard whine-like sound made him momentarily freeze. “I mean… you’re sick…” Sukuna started again, quieter. 

“Just leave me alone,” Yukari hissed only to break into a fit of coughs. 

“Yukari how sick _are_ you?” Sukuna snapped suddenly. How’d he missed it? Well, no. How had he _ignored_ it? 

“I’ll be fine,” Yukari’s voice came quieter now. “I just need to sleep.” 

Sukuna sighed setting the cup down. 

“Fine, whatever.” 

\--- 

An hour passed, and Yukari’s coughing got worse. Sukuna didn’t leave the room for long. He’d search the house for medicine, come back, search for books on medicine, come back. He wracked his brains for remedies, but everything Iwa’d done, he couldn’t do. 

It hurt. 

Kotosaka fluttered down from the rafters at some point to land on Sukuna’s shoulder. Though the weight of the bird put him off, Sukuna didn’t shove him away. They’d sit together in an arm chair dragged in from the living room and watch Yukari’s labored breathing. More than once Yukari dismissed them both. Neither one left, however. 

Eventually, Yukari slept. Sukuna could hear the pattern of his breathing change. It was only then that he shifted Kotosaka to the chair and approached Yukari. An uncertain hand raised to the upward shoulder, but when no hand seized his own, slowly Sukuna eased him down flat on his back. 

“Master,” Yukari’s breath escaped unexpectedly. 

Sukuna winced. “Yukari, I’m-“ Words died in his throat. Yukari was sleeping, dreaming. 

A hand shifted up to feel over Yukari’s forehead, and Sukuna frowned. He was still burning up. 

“It’s too hot,” Yukari’s voice came again. 

Sukuna took a sow breath. “Just relax, Yukari, I’ll …” Sukuna broke off. Retracting his hand, he shifted to the bucket and rags. Fishing one up, he squeezed excess water from it before folding it. It wasn’t cool, but it’d have to work. 

Shaky fingers pushed up Yukari’s bangs. A small scar at his hairline wouldn’t be missed even as Sukuna set the rag down. A sigh escaped from Yukari followed by a series of short coughs. Sukuna grimaced setting back. 

_What else can I do?_ There was no medicine in the house, nothing useful.

Glancing back to Kotosaka, Sukuna frowned. “Bird brain…” Sukuna spoke drawing back over to the parrot. Kotosaka ruffled his feathers in response. Bending down to the chair, Sukuna gazed hard at those bird eyes. “I need a favor.” 

Kotosaka shifted from one foot to the other and fluttered his wings. “Brat,” came the quiet word. 

“Down the mountain, there’s that village,” Sukuna leaned closer and spoke quieter still. “I need you to steal some cold medicine or something.” 

The bird ruffled his feathers again before giving a nod. Sukuna extended an arm allowing claws to latch on. Walking to the window, Sukuna fumbled to open it. When it wouldn’t budge, he walked to the front door. That at least opened readily. With that, the bird was sent on his mission. 

\--- 

Sukuna changed towels, changed water, repeated. 

Yukari shifted a lot in his sleep, but Sukuna adjusted. _Keep his fever down…_ That was what he was supposed to do, right? Ugh. 

“Master…” Yukari’s rough voice complained. 

Sukuna frowned. “What?” 

“ ‘S not Kuroh’s fault….” Yukari groaned. “I broke the lamp.” 

Sukuna nearly snorted. “Figures.” He shifted, reaching to replace the towel. 

A hand seized Sukuna’s wrist. Yukari’s eyes flashed open. Sukuna fidgeted. “I hated it… it was ugly,” Yukari’s voice came out in a rasp. 

Sukuna grimaced. “It’s fine, Yukari…” He spoke softly. 

“I hate them, _they’re_ ugly,” Yukari’s voice hissed. 

Sukuna paused. He could guess who ‘they’ were by now, but. “Ok, Yukari.” 

Yukari’s hand let go, and he closed his eyes. “My throat hurts.” 

Sukuna rolled his eyes. “Ready to drink some water?” Grabbing up the cup, Sukuna held it forward. Yukari seized it, gulped it down in one go, and tossed the cup back at him. Sukuna snatched it up before it hit the floor. 

\---

Another hour passed. Sukuna curled in the chair watching. His head hurt. He wanted to sleep. Yukari kept moving around. Was _he_ even asleep? 

Something knocked on the window. Sukuna jerked up and over the chair. Kotosaka stared inward. Sukuna squirmed back to the front door. The damn bird made him walk all the way around the house and carry him back. In the parrot’s talons, however, was a familiar cold pill bottle. 

“Thanks, Kotosaka,” Sukuna spoke quietly stroking the bird’s plumage. It felt weird to thank the damn thing for anything, but now, at least, he had something more. 

“Brat.” 

Sukuna scowled pinching at the tip of the wing. “ _Sukuna,_ ” he growled his own name. One day this damn bird would get it. Kotosaka fidgeted and ruffled before finally squirming out of Sukuna’s grip. 

He hopped on the back of the couch instead. 

Sukuna crossed back into the hallway, pill bottle in hand. _Finally something._

“Yukar-“ Sukuna stopped mid word on finding Yukari sitting up. “Yukari?” 

“Go away,” Yukari’s voice was harsh, gruff. “I’m not in the mood.” 

Sukuna snorted- loud. Yukari wasn’t in the mood? “I’m not going to,” Sukuna snapped readily now. “You’re sick.” 

Yukari glanced sideways at him, eyes clouded, a bewildered look on his face. Suddenly he was laughing. Sukuna winced. “What?” came the demand. Yukari shook his head, however, and a hand raised to wave words out of the air. 

“You’re so annoying…” Yukari mumbled softly. 

Sukuna glared. “I’ve got medicine, and you’re _going to take it_.” 

Yukari’s head shifted one way then the other before he shrugged and held his hand out. Sukuna about held the bottle forward before he quickly retracted it, opened it, and pulled out two pills. Only two were held forward. “I’ll get you some wa-“ 

Yukari gulped them down instantly. Sukuna winced. The coughing made his throat sound terrible. Didn’t it scratch at all? “Yukari-“ 

“Happy now?” Yukari mused before slowly laying back down. “Goodnight.” 

Sukuna exhaled loudly. 

\--- 

Sukuna was dozing now. Every now and again, he would find his head falling forward, and he’d jerk awake once more. When he felt sleep coming on too strong, he’d get up, and change the rag at Yukari’s forehead. He couldn’t be sure, but it felt like the fever was going down. 

That was good, right? _Yeah_. 

\--- 

Someone was crying. 

The noise was enough to jolt Sukuna out of another doze. 

Sitting up straight, he looked into the darkness of the room. Yukari’s form only shook slightly, but the noises were unmistakably his. 

Sukuna winced. Shifting up from his chair, he pulled it a little closer. A tentative hand reached forward to clasp a shaking one. Fingers fled him, and Sukuna’s own hand retracted. Yukari rolled sideways and muttered something inaudible. 

Sukuna grimaced. 

Shifting from the chair to the edge of the bed, Sukuna leaned over. Even in the darkness, he could see Yukari’s eyes were closed. “Yukari?” 

No vocal answer came, but Yukari curled tighter. More sobs. More strange noises. Sukuna glanced away. “You’re just sick…” Sukuna breathed quietly. 

“I know…” came a strange murmur amongst the sounds. 

“Then quit crying…” Sukuna muttered. Slowly, he twisted around and lay back to back with Yukari. “You’re gonna be fine.” 

\--- 

Rays of sunlight touched Sukuna, and green eyes slowly opened. _Ugh_ Slowly rolling over, he’d been about to sleep again when green eyes shot open again. 

“Yukari?“ Sukuna sat up. 

A hand set on his head from behind. Sukuna twisted it back. “Good morning sleepy head,” Yukari smiled brightly standing there. 

Sukuna stared for a moment. Color had returned to Yukari’s features. A lightness had returned to his smile. “You’re feeling better huh?” 

Yukari grinned toothily. “That medicine worked like a charm. We’ll have to get more of it,” he grinned ruffling Sukuna’s hair again.

Sukuna fidgeted swatting his hand away. “Good, you were gross sick. Don’t do that again.” 

Yukari only laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was sort of the start of a new 'arc'. Each chapter can stand alone story wise, but things have started to bleed together more. Thanks for reading.


End file.
